LA MIRADA, Calif. (Interstat) — Biola defeated Azusa Pacific 59-42 in a women’s NCAA Division II basketball game Monday at Chase Gymnasium. The Eagles improved to 1-0, while the Cougars dropped to 0-1 in front of 344 fans. Biola used a decisive third-quarter run and a strong interior game to pull away from the visiting Cougars.

Azusa Pacific scored 4 points in the first quarter, 12 in the second, 16 in the third and 10 in the fourth. Biola scored 6 in the first, 17 in the second, 21 in the third and 15 in the fourth. The Eagles led 15-10 after one quarter and 23-16 at halftime, then outscored the Cougars 21-16 in the third to take control.

Maryah Anderson opened the scoring with a 3-point jump shot, and Laney Grider answered with a 3 for Biola. Ronnie Herrmann made a layup, Ella Fritts hit a 3, Grider made a layup and Hanne Nybo added a jump shot as Biola moved ahead. Vanessa Parilla made a driving layup, Anderson hit another 3 to tie the score at 10, and Biola closed the first quarter with Aliyah Bantolina’s driving layup and Fritts’ 3-point field goal. In the second quarter, Anderson made a jump shot, Alyssa Kubo and Grider made driving layups, Herrmann made a layup, and Fritts added a layup for Biola.

The most important stretch came in the third quarter after Azusa Pacific had trimmed the deficit to 28-24 on two Herrmann free throws. Biola answered with 10 straight points. Sienna Capelli made a tip-in, Grider hit a jumper, Capelli made a layup and two free throws, and Grider added a driving layup to push the Eagles’ lead to 38-24. Azusa Pacific never got closer than eight points the rest of the way.

Herrmann had 14 points, seven rebounds and four blocks in 37 minutes for Azusa Pacific. Anderson scored 16 points and blocked one shot in 32 minutes. Parilla added five points, five rebounds and three assists, while Petra Falcocchia had six rebounds and three blocks. The Cougars shot 15 of 61 from the floor, 6 of 32 from 3-point range and 6 of 8 from the free throw line.

Capelli finished with 10 points and nine rebounds for Biola. Nybo had eight points and nine rebounds, Grider scored 15 points with four rebounds and five assists, and Fritts added 10 points and four rebounds. Bantolina had six points and seven rebounds, and Kubo contributed seven points and five assists. Biola shot 24 of 63 from the floor, 5 of 20 from 3-point range and 6 of 7 from the free throw line.

Biola held a 36-18 advantage in points in the paint and a 16-8 edge in offensive rebounds. The Eagles had nine assists, five blocks and 19 turnovers, while the Cougars had 11 assists, eight blocks and 12 turnovers. Azusa Pacific scored 14 points off turnovers, and Biola scored 17. Azusa Pacific scored 42 points from 69 possessions with an offensive rating of 61.0. Biola scored 59 points from 69 possessions with an offensive rating of 85.1.

In the fourth quarter, Herrmann made two layups to cut the deficit to 38-30, but Capelli answered with a tip-in. Falcocchia made a turnaround jumper, Kubo made a driving layup, Nybo made a layup and two free throws, and Grider added two free throws as Biola maintained its lead. Parilla hit a 3-pointer, Grider made a layup, Riley Baquiran made a layup, Bantolina made a driving layup, Nybo made a jump shot, Olivia Martinez hit a 3, Kubo made a 3, Herrmann made two free throws and Capelli closed the scoring with a jump shot.

Biola next plays Cal State San Bernardino on Nov. 13 in Irvine. Azusa Pacific next plays at Hawaii Pacific on Nov. 21. Biola also has upcoming games against Cal State Dominguez Hills on Nov. 16 and Cal Poly Pomona on Nov. 19. Azusa Pacific is scheduled to play at Chaminade on Nov. 23 and again at Hawaii Pacific on Nov. 24.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Azusa Pacific 68, Biola 65. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Azusa Pacific with a 79.8 percent probability to win.