AZUSA, Calif. -- It has just been that kind of a season for Biola.
The NAIA's No. 7-ranked Eagles continued their dream season by taking advantage of a rain-soaked Cougar Stadium and downing No. 2 Azusa Pacific, 2-1, in a GSAC match Tuesday night getting a late-game winner.
The loss is the Cougars' first of the season and drops them to 10-1-1, 6-1 GSAC. It is their third straight loss to Biola, which improves to a program-best 11-0-1, 7-0 GSAC and take sole possession of the race for their first GSAC title.
Though the field was soaked from a day's worth of rain, the rain stayed away for most of the night and had little effect on the game until it reared its ugly head in the final 10 minutes.
In the 83rd minute and with the game tied 1-1, the Cougars were whistled for a foul just inside the midfield stripe. Biola's Natalie Roth took the kick and lofted a ball over everybody and into the box. Cougar GK Jill Colfer came off her line to pick up the ball, and as she went down to pick it up, it squirted through her wet hands. Rianne Schorel picked it up and passed it into the open net for what turned out to be the game-winner.
"I thought we played great, and I was proud of the way we played," said Azusa Pacific head coach Jason Surrell. "We just didn't get the result."
Neither team was able to take advantage in the early going though Schorel did hit a post midway through the first half.
After a scoreless first 45 minutes, the rain began to fall and the pace began to pick up. Biola, which had turned up the energy took control of the first 5 minutes of the second half and captilized when Adrianna Dixon fed Jennifer Loya with a through ball from the top of the box. Loya then one-timed it past a charging Jill Colfer and into the net for a 1-0 Biola lead in the 50th minute.
"I'm not sure what was going on in the first 5 minutes of the second half," said Surrell. "They came at us and we weren't able to clear the ball for some reason."
Instantly, though, the Cougars responded. Though it took them several minutes to find the equalizer, the energy picked up as did the intensity of the rain. In the 62nd minute, the Cougars were awarded one of their 8 corner kicks. Stephanie Bays lofted a ball into the box that Randie Massro connected with and headed into the goal for her second score of the season to tie the game 1-1.
The Cougars then generated several scoring chances over the next 20 minutes in an attempt to take the lead. Biola All-GSAC GK Hilary Dunham was ready for the task though as she made stellar save after stellar save to set up Schorel's heroics.
"I thought we dominated the second half," said Surrell. "We had a ton of chances and just couldn't finish. We were the better team on the night, but just didn't get the result. We'll get another chance at them."
The Cougars out-shot the Eagles, 11-10, including a 6-4 margin on goal. They controlled play for much of the night but were unable to find a second equalizer in the final 7 minutes. Dunham finished with 5 saves.
Biola assumes sole possession of the GSAC's top spot with 3 left, although the Eagles still have dates with nationally-ranked Concordia (No. 19) and California Baptist (24). The Cougars next face 3-time defending NAIA champion Westmont Saturday.
