Two of NAIA's top teams clash in Fresno

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Top-ranked Fresno Pacific puts its 118-match home winning streak on the line Saturday as the Sunbirds (13-0, 5-0 GSAC) host #4 Concordia (12-1, 4-1 GSAC) at 3 pm.

The match has been tabbed as the NAIA Game of the Week by the NAIA National Office.

FPU has worked its way through the first five conference matches with relative ease, dropping only one set out of 16. Concordia, after starting out the year at #2 in the poll, has had a more difficult road. The Eagles have gone to five sets in three of their conference games, including an upset loss at home to #9 Biola.

Concordia is led by returning NAIA All-American Amber Ridens, who ranks second in the GSAC with 4.75 kills per set. As a team the Eagles lead the conference in blocks per set, the only major statistical category not currently held by the Sunbirds.

With one of the top blocking duos in the country, Briana Hughes and Amy Van Buren, the Eagles will try to slow down a Sunbird attack that, thus far, opponents have had no answer for. Current GSAC player of the week Martina Gregusova leads the way, but FPU setters Erica Adachi and Emily Carroll have had all kinds of options, including Keke Wang, Lisa Shilling, Michelle Johnson, Karah Mitchell and Kathleen Anderson.

The two teams have shared some dramatic moments over the years, including last year's national semifinal which went down to the wire before FPU ended the Eagles' season. Despite some very competitive matches the Sunbirds have a colossal advantage historically, going 54-2 all-time against the Eagles.

Saturday's match is the first of three straight matches with top 10 teams. FPU's win streak is currently at 54.

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