Box Score LA MIRADA, Calif. – Dominican women's soccer held a lead at the half, but a second-half surge gave Biola the 3-2 victory Saturday at Al Barbour Field.
The Penguins (3-5-1, 1-3 PacWest) and the Eagles (6-1, 2-1 PacWest) each had 15 shots, with Biola holding a 10-6 edge in shots on goal.
Alyssa Ramos had seven saves in the game for Dominican, while
Ivy Torres led the offense with three shots and two on goal.
Michelli Li sent a curling shot into the box from the right side of the 18-yard box and a Biola defender mistouched it into their own net to give Dominican a 1-0 lead 43 seconds into the game. Moments later, Biola's Ashley Ramirez sent a long ball to Paula-Marie Labate who raced past the back line and beat Ramos one-on-one to even the match in the ninth minute.
The remainder of the first half was a struggle in the midfield as neither team could generate many chances. Right before the half,
Ivy Torres sent a curling ball toward the net and the Biola keeper was unable to punch it away as it went off her hands and inside the left post.
The Penguins pressed early in the second half as
Lily Dubuc and Torres had good shots on goal to increase the lead in the 53rd minute, but were unable to beat the keeper. Biola was awarded a penalty kick in the 63rd minute with a chance to tie the game, but Labate sent the ball over the crossbar.
Madi Demetropolis crossed a ball into the box and Margaret Guadarrama loosed a shot off one bounce from the right side of the box a minute later and beat Ramos to the far post to tie the match for the Eagles. Demetropolis then gave Biola the lead with a header in the 67th minute off a cross from Samantha Verduzco.
Bailey Kiser had a chance to level the match for Dominican once more in the 71st minute as a loose ball bounced to the top of the box, but Christina Rodriguez dove to her right to make the save. In the 87th minute,
Mariah Meza also had a chance from the top of the box, but she was unable to put enough pace on the bouncing ball to beat the keeper.
Dominican will return to its home pitch Saturday and host Azusa Pacific at noon PDT at Kennelly Field. Live stats and video will be available online.
