MEN: No. 14 Biola Edges St. Mary's in Overtime Thriller, 8-7

Sophomore attackman Adam Kingston scored the game-winning goal with 1:36 remaining in overtime to give No. 14 Biola a dramatic, 8-7 victory over St. Mary’s in an MCLA Division II game Wednesday night in Southern California.

Kingston scored a transition goal from point-blank range off a pass from sophomore middie David Sigley to give Biola (1-0) a thrilling win in both teams’ season opener. Kingston finished the night with a co-game-high three points on a goal and two assists.

Senior middie Jordan Adams scored a game-high three goals, and senior attackman Billy McMahan added a goal and an assist for Biola. Senior attackman Alex Bustrum, senior middie Andrew Acker and freshman middie Scott Gamelson all had a goal to round out the scoring for the Eagles.

Defensively, senior goalie Jonathan Lowell saved 10 shots.

St. Mary’s (0-1) lost the first game of a two-game Southern California road trip. The Gaels will face UC Irvine in their second game Thursday night at 7 p.m., PST.

The game was tied, 1-1, at the end of the first quarter, Biola led 3-2 at halftime and the Eagles had a 4-3 advantage going into the fourth quarter.

Biola led 7-6 in the final two minutes of regulation, but Gavin Cooke scored the equalizer for St. Mary’s with 1:48 to play to force overtime.

In the extra session, Biola took advantage of an unsettled situation to capitalize.

“It’s good to get off with a win,” Biola head coach Aaron Klett said. “It’s not often a team finds its identity in the first game of the season. It’s definitely a statement game for us. For it to come so early isn’t normal, but that’s definitely what this game was for us.”