Concordia scored twice in the final four minutes to knock off Biola, 3-2.
Concordia scored twice in the final four minutes to knock off Biola, 3-2.

Women's Soccer

Two Goals in Last Four Minutes Push CUI Past Biola, 3-2

Concordia rallies back to move into second round of NCAA West Region playoffs. Will face CSU Los Angeles on Sunday.

IRVINE, Calif.--Just one week ago, penalty kicks defined a win for Biola over Concordia in the Pacific West Conference Championship match. The Eagles won on penalty kicks in overtime to earn the PacWest's NCAA playoff berth. 

Today, in the first round of the NCAA west region playoffs between the two teams, a penalty kick finished the match, this time to Concordia's favor. 

The Golden Eagles scored twice in the final four minutes to pull a rabbit out of the hat for a 3-2 victory over the Eagles at UC Irvine. Trailing 2-1, Sloane De Torres evened the match in the 87th minute with a goal and moments later Ashley Grubert won it on a penalty kick after a hand ball in the box gave her the opportunity.

That improbable victory sends the No. 2 seed Golden Eagles to the NCAA Second Round, where they will play CSU Los Angeles on Sunday at 3 pm.  CUI will head to round two at 12-2-5 on the season, while the No. 7 seeded Eagles will wrap up 2026 at 9-6-4. 

Last week in Hilo at the conference championships, the two teams played as even as can be, tied at 0-0 through 110 minutes. It was similar today. 

Biola struck first at 31:52 on Briley Phelps' score, after taking passes from Jade Alverio and Hayden Gehring. But three minutes later, Concordia answered on a score by Camryn Flores to tie it at 1-1, which is where it sat at intermission. Both teams had just two shots on goal at the break.

The Eagles quickly took the lead back early in the second half. Gehring got the score, with an assist from Phelps to make it 2-1 in the 48th minute. That's how it stayed heading into the final moments of the match looking like the third upset in a row for a Biola team that was the No. 4 seed at the PacWest tournament and No. 7 in the NCAA West Region. 

But enter De Torres' goal and then the hard-luck hand ball that led to Grubert's penalty kick, which she converted with just two seconds left in the match, sending the Golden Eagles to a wild celebration after a wild finish. 

The Concordia Golden Eagles will now take on the CSU Los Angeles Golden Eagles on Sunday. CSULA defeated UC Merced earlier today, also at UC Irvine, 1-0.