Box Score

Fresno Pacific gave #6 Cal Baptist all it could handle on Saturday, outscoring the Lancers by 11 in the second half and drawing within three points late in the game before falling 79-73.

The first-place Lancers came in with a high-ranking and an eight-game GSAC win streak, but the Sunbirds showed tremendous resolve for the full 40 minutes, refusing to back down even when trailing by 20 in the second half. 

Even at what seemed to be the game's lowest point, when leading scorer Jessica Torrecillas fouled out with eight minutes left and the team trailing 68-54, the Sunbirds regrouped and proceeded to go on an 11-2 run.

Down 14 with eight minutes to play, many teams would have rolled over, but Jenay Herring and the Sunbirds had other ideas. The freshman point guard showed tremendous composure throughout the game, facilitating the offense and putting together a string of highlight-reel plays that would begin to put Cal Baptist on its heels.

Over the next four minutes, two successful drives by Herring, a three-pointer by Kelly Thompson and a bucket by Tineka Spencer from Herring brought the Sunbirds within seven. CBU would get a jumper with 3:30 left, but Thompson responded with another three that ignited the home crowd.

CBU slowed the game down as much as possible, using nearly the entire shot clock during the final five minutes.  Two Lancer free-throws made it an eight-point game, before Michele Rebozzi drained a three from the corner sending the crowd into a frenzy and bringing the team within five at 74-69 and 2:33 to play.

The Sunbirds got a huge stop on the next play and Herring delivered a big shot on the other end, knocking down a contested jumper to make it 74-71. As the game entered its final minute the home crowd, though relatively small in numbers, was as loud as the Special Events Center has been in a while.

The Lancers' Dana Olsen, who finished with a game-high 26 points, drew a foul and made one-of-two free throws. The Sunbirds would get a tough break, down by four, as Herring drove and was called for a charge.

The Sunbirds would have to resort to fouling and CBU didn't miss, preserving the win for the Lancers' ninth consecutive GSAC victory. The FPU players however, had no reason to hang their heads.

"Tonight's game was a victory for us, not because we only lost by six to a nationally ranked team, but because of the level of character and perseverance we showed," said Sunbird head coach Erin Scholz. 

"As much as we want to win, we're just not there yet, but we are continually inching closer." Scholz added. "I am pleased with our team's effort and character. We fight and give our best because we want to win, but also because it's our identity;  It's who we are."

Torrecillas and Herring led FPU with 18 points each. Rebozzi and Spencer both added 12 points, Herring recorded four steals and Torrecillas had a game-high seven rebounds.

Olsen scored 26 for CBU and VV Vasciunaite added 25, 18 coming during a hot-shooting first half. SJ Simmons added 16 in the win.

The Sunbirds trailed by 17 points at halftime and would shoot 67 percent in the second half. The team had fought back from a 16-7 deficit to make the score 23-20, but with Torrecillas in foul trouble early on the Lancers took advantage and closed out the half strong.

FPU drops to 7-13 on the season and is still searching for its first GSAC win as the conference schedule hits its halfway point. The Sunbirds will get another crack at a top-10 NAIA team on Tuesday, as they host #8 Azusa Pacific at 5:30 pm.