Friehes make mark with Biola soccer team

LA MIRADA, Calif. — After finding their love for soccer growing up in Moses Lake, Derek and Phillip Friehe may have found their rightful place in the sport as members of the Biola University Eagles program.

Biola, an NAIA Division I soccer program, managed to qualify for the National Tournament round of 16 set for Tuesday.

Derek, a fifth-year senior, scored a goal and just missed out on a brace with a shot clanking off the post to help his team make the playoffs.

“We are considerably better this year and Derrick has been consistently doing well for us,” Biola coach Bryan Kuderman said. “He was MVP of our last game. Their coach told us after the game they had no answers for him.”

Biola managed to pull out a win after penalty kicks of a 2-2 tie at the University of Texas at Brownsville on Saturday and now look forward to a 4:30 p.m. match up with Hastings, Neb., in their next contest.

After being a .500 team most of last season, the Eagles (13-4-3) have risen to No. 12 in the NAIA rankings.

Derek started in eight of 20 games, scoring five goals while handing out two assists in 849 minutes of play. He is fourth on the team in goals and shots-on-goal, and fifth in points and shots taken.

“It’s been a really great season and it’s definitely what I’ve hoped for,” Derek said. “Our goal every year is to make the national tournament and to do it for two years is great.

“I think our chances are pretty good. We played in a tough conference that does well at the national tournament, so if we keep going I like our chances.”

His coach also likes how far Derek has come.

“As a player, he as assimilated to the highest levels of the game and he is markedly different player than he was when he first came to us,” Kuderman said. “Where he excels at is his ability to hold on to the ball and he does have a very nice shot.”

The 2005 graduate of Moses Lake Christian Academy is a double major in philosophy and international business.

“He is a tremendous person, very intelligent with probably the highest GPA on the team, and he is very hard working,” Kuderman said. “He came in and redshirted because he wasn’t ready yet, but we knew he would be. But he has come a long way.”

“Any time you spend that much time in a program like that, it definitively develops  you as a person,” Derek said. “As a player, it was such a huge leap going from what we played in Moses Lakes to the NAIA.”

The younger Friehe, Phillip, comes off the bench for the Eagles, but still managed to score three goals, good enough for sixth on the squad.

“He is more tenacious of the two, but in terms of development, he is where Derek was last year,” Kuderman said. “My hope is he will be doing for us next year, what Dererk is doing for us this year.”

Phillip played in 19 matches and 289 minutes to gain that experience for next season.

He also came into this year battling a nagging ankle injury.

“I came in injured but its been pretty good contributing some goals,” Phillip said.  “I see next year as one that I can come in gain the confidence I need and have a big year for the team. But I am definitely still having fun this year.”