Fresno Pacific improved to 22-2 overall and 14-1 in the PacWest on Friday night, defeating Notre Dame de Namur in four sets 25-16, 22-25, 25-23, 25-5. The Sunbirds played spoiler on the Argonauts' (1-24, 0-16 PacWest) senior night in Belmont behind 23 kills from Rupia Inck and 14 kills (.632 hitting) from Becca Waller. 

FPU took control of set one behind three Inck kills early, jumping out to a 9-4 lead before NDNU was forced to call a timeout. The Sunbirds finished off the set with a balanced attack on offense, receiving four kills from Karah Mitchell, three kills from Waller and two from Morghan Williams to win 25-16.

In the set victory, the Sunbirds held NDNU to a negative .032 hitting percentage behind two blocks from Inck, one from Emily Carroll and one from Williams. Hannah Butler led the defense behind the blockers with six digs from the libero position for FPU.

NDNU came out in set two determined on offense, hitting an impressive .400 in a 25-22 win. The two teams exchanged points throughout the set before an NDNU block sparked a 3-0 run to win. FPU looked in control following a kill by Inck to lead 21-20, but the Argonaut's Jennifer Jasper (13 kills), on her senior night, provided a kill and block down the stretch to clinch the set victory for NDNU.

“We took the first set and we were content with that,” said head coach Kelly Winter. “We expected them to roll over and give us the win and they didn't. We were scrambling, playing out of position and not doing the things we usually do really well. It was a lack of mental preparation.”

Two key blocks by Adachi, who teamed up with Waller and Williams on each, followed by a kill from Williams sealed the set three victory for FPU 25-23. The Argonauts used momentum from the set two victory to play with FPU throughout the set, nearly stealing another set from the Sunbirds.

NDNU led 21-19 late in the set before Winter called a timeout to regroup the Sunbirds. FPU responded with an Inck kill and forced an NDNU error before Adachi's heroics saved the set.

“I told the girls to respect the team that they were playing and respect themselves by putting their best effort out on the court,” said Winter about the talk during the timeout. “Going through the motions is not good enough; not inspiring. We have worked too hard all season to give away a match like this.”

Fresno Pacific responded with an impressive set four, winning 25-5, their biggest margin of victory in a set this season. The Sunbirds hit an impressive .652 in the set while holding NDNU to negative .174.

FPU jumped out to a 14-2 lead and never looked back on offense behind Inck and Waller. The set and match was finished off by a Waller kill.

“I was impressed with the way we closed out the match,” said Winter. “Our servers did a really nice job in the last set. Rupia played great tonight and Becca played outstanding and had a really good night. I was impressed by [Waller's] ability to hit to the deep corners. She did a really nice job of finding open spots in the defense.”

The Sunbirds also received impressive performances from Carroll, who totaled a double-double with 22 assists and 11 digs, Adachi, who dished out 29 assists and had eight digs, and Butler who led FPU with 18 digs.

Kathleen Anderson and Jessie Alcorn both sat out the game as gametime decisions due to injury.

The Sunbirds take on Academy of Art, a team that took FPU to fives sets in Fresno earlier this year, tomorrow in San Francisco at 3:00 pm.