Box score

COSTA MESA, Calif. – #1 Fresno Pacific (27-0, 18-0 GSAC) defeat Vanguard (15-8, 10-8 GSAC) in four sets to clinch the GSAC championships.  The Sunbirds won 25-19, 25-14, 21-25, 25-21.  The Sunbirds even trailed in the fourth set, but came back to win with a 6-0 run to conclude the match.

Keke Wang led the Sunbirds with 12 kills, while #Brittany Pierce# and #Lisa Shilling# followed closely with 11 and 10 kills, respectively.  Shilling had a great match, hitting a team high 0.444 percent, and also contributing 11 total blocks, leading the team to 17.5 team blocks, 1 assist and 2 digs.  #Shu Liu# led with 37 assists, and #Tiffany Marinos# had 16 digs to lead the Sunbirds.

The first set was competitive, where Vanguard kept it tied through 15-15, but then the Sunbirds opened it up scoring three in a row and finished scoring three more in a row.  The second set the Sunbirds overpowered Vanguard.  The Sunbirds won 25-14, holding Vanguard to a -0.154 with only 4 kills on 26 attempts and 8 errors.  Wang stepped up and hit 5 kills on 6 attempts, and the Sunbirds' front row got 5 of their 17.5 blocks in the second to help the Sunbirds take a 2-0 lead.

The Sunbirds fell in the third set, where they never really made a move after Vanguard jumped out to an early lead.  Things looked a little scary in the fourth once Vanguard had a 14-18 lead, but the Sunbirds rallied back with a 5-1 to tie the set at 19-19.  Four of the Sunbirds five points came from blocks, three of which involved Shilling.  After falling behind again 19-21, Shilling led the Sunbirds on a 6-0 run to win 25-21; Shilling hit two kills and was involved in two more blocks as a part of the final six points.

Coach Dennis Janzen recalled the match, “The girls played well when they had to win, and they stepped up big in the fourth set,” he continued, “it was another quality win over a quality opponent. This win clinches us the conference, and puts us in the driver's seat as the number one seed going into the national tournament.”

With only three regular season matches left for the Sunbirds, they have claimed the GSAC title.  The Sunbirds will finish up with Hope International at home, Concordia in Irvine, and Bakersfield at home to conclude the season.  Fresno Pacific will take on Hope next on Tuesday, November 11 at 7:00 p.m.