Box Score
#11 Fresno Pacific held a 2-1 lead before the visiting #13 Biola Eagles would capture the final two sets to defeat the Sunbirds 3-2 (23-25, 25-19, 25-22, 17-25, 12-15) and bring the FPU losing skid to five.
Erica Adachi had a triple-double of 26 assists, 17 kills and 13 digs to lead FPU (14-11, 10-7), but the Sunbirds would be unable to hold off a determined Eagle squad that left Fresno with a win for the first time since 1997. Biola improved to 22-12, 9-8 in GSAC play.
Despite the loss, FPU would see its offense come alive after struggling in the four previous matches. The Sunbirds would outhit the Eagles on the night .308 to .293.
Jessie Alcorn led the charge with 21 kills, followed by Adachi (17 kills),
Kathleen Anderson (15 kills and 4 blocks) and
Martina Gregusova (15 kills and 14 digs).
Emily Carroll dished out a match-high 41 assists.
FPU dropped a close first set, as each offense was brilliant throughout. The Sunbirds outhit the Eagles .410 to .351, despite the 25-23 score. Chelsee Arnitz led Biola with five kills in set one to pace the offense attack. The Sunbirds were down early, but an early run with kills by Alcorn, Anderson, and Adachi forced a Biola timeout as the score reached 10-9 in the Sunbirds favor. As the score reached 20-20, the Sunbirds took the lead following an Anderson kill to put the win within reach, but a short run by the Eagle offense led to the 25-23 win. Five Gregusova kills, as well as four apiece by Alcorn and Anderson paced the Sunbird offense.
Fresno Pacific continued hitting on all cylinders on offense in the second set with a 25-19 victory. The offense hit an impressive .429 in the set, led by six Adachi kills. The Sunbirds were on the attack early after finding momentum from a unusual foot save by Gregusova, which led to a diving Carroll to save the point, followed up by a kill by Gregusova to ignite the crowd. The Sunbirds would then force a timeout by the Eagles with the score 14-8, and rode multiple kills by Gregusova and Adachi to clinch the victory. Along with the strong play by Adachi and Gregusova, Alcorn was a consistent force in the set with five kills.
Anderson and Alcorn led the Sunbirds in the third set with five kills apiece, resulting in a 25-22 victory to put FPU up 2-1 in the match. Three straight powerful kills by Anderson early in the set brought FPU back into it, evening the score at 9-9. Anderson would continue the hot streak with another kill just a few points later to force a Biola timeout with the score in the Sunbirds' favor at 18-15. Alcorn would provide the finishing punch in the win with two late kills to clinch the set victory.
Biola would force a fifth and deciding set following a 25-17 victory in the fourth. The Eagle offense would come alive once again hitting .371 for the set. The key to the victory was Biola's ability to find an answer to the Sunbird offense, as the Eagle defense held FPU to a .105 hitting percentage for the set. With the score tied at 16-16, Biola would limit Fresno Pacific to just one more point, closing out the set on a 9-1 run.
In a battle to 15 for the victory, Biola carried the momentum from the fourth set victory to win the match with a 15-12 win. Fresno Pacific found itself in a 4-0 hole early in the set, and fought hard to comeback before falling. Anderson would climb FPU back into the match pulling the score to 11-10 following three kills and a block, but the effort was not enough as Biola pulled out the victory.
Lyndsie Petersen would contribute 18 digs in the loss to lead the Sunbirds, with Carroll adding 13 digs as well.
The Eagles were led by 20 kills from Christine Douglas, as Biola avenged the loss earlier in the season to Fresno Pacific, when the Sunbirds took down the Eagles in La Mirada 3-1. Arnitz and Sarah McAtee added 12 kills apiece, Gracee Gallarda had 29 assists and Emily Weingartner led the defense with 17 digs.
FPU will look to get back on track and end its season-high five match losing streak this weekend against last place San Diego Christian at 3 pm, closing out the regular season GSAC schedule.
