SAN DIEGO - #10 Fresno Pacific picked up a signature win against traditional NCAA Division II West Region power #18 Cal State San Bernardino on Friday as the two teams went the distance and more in a five-set 23-21 thriller that saw FPU mount comebacks from CSUSB match-points on seven different occasions.

The Sunbirds then cruised to victory, outside of a lackluster set two, in a 3-1 win over another CCAA team, Cal Poly Pomona. FPU improved to 5-0 on the season.


#10 Fresno Pacific def. #18 Cal State San Bernardino 3-2 (21-25, 26-24, 16-25, 25-22, 23-21)

In the opening match of the UCSD Invitational, FPU outlasted CSUSB in a battle of ranked NCAA Division II teams that went to a marathon set five. The Coyotes (2-3) had the Sunbirds (4-0) at match-point seven different times during the fifth set but each time FPU rallied to tie it up.

The Coyotes led 21-20 before a Morghan Williams kill tied it up. Sunbird star outside hitter Rupia Inck then delivered back-to-back kills to seal the win. The fifth set alone featured 16 ties between the two teams. FPU trailed 13-10 at one point in set five, but refused to go away.

"The intensity level was off the charts," said FPU head coach Kelly Winter. "It was a physical match with the hitters putting a lot of heat on everything and the defenses rising to the challenge. These were two very good teams and I'm proud of how our girls really played with composure in tight situations. This is the kind of match this group loves to play in. They like to battle."

The FPU defense carried the day as the team was out-hit .209 to .192 but registered 100 digs as a team. Leading the way was sophomore Hannah Butler with a career-high 38 digs. Lyndsie Petersen added 21.

Rupia Inck had a career-high 28 kills, to go with 13 digs in the win. Morghan Williams added 19 kills and Jessie Alcorn finished with 17. Williams led the team with six blocks. Freshman Bissie DenHartog facilitated the offense with a season-high 64 assists, the highest total by a Sunbird setter since 2008 when Shu Liu had 69 in the national championship match victory over Concordia.

Alexandra Torline had 18 kills for CSUSB and Brenna McIntosh added 17 in the loss. The Coyotes were preseason favorites to win the CCAA, but it would be the Sunbirds picking up an important in-region victory.

#10 Fresno Pacific def. Cal Poly Pomona 3-1 (25-22, 17-25, 25-20, 25-23)

After outlasting #18 Cal State San Bernardino in a five-set slugfest earlier in the day, the Sunbirds (5-0) had enough left in the tank to knock off the Broncos (1-5) and remain undefeated heading into tomorrow's showdown with #13 UC San Diego.

Rupia Inck had 17 kills, while Morghan Williams and Rebecca Waller added 13 apiece in the win. Hannah Butler once again led a stout Sunbird defense, finishing with 18 digs. Bissie DenHartog finished with a double-double of 53 assists and 13 digs.

After a lackluster set two allowed the Broncos to tie it up, the Sunbirds came out firing in set three taking a 15-5 lead. Inconsistent play was almost the team's downfall however, as CPP nearly came all the way back with a 14-6 run that trimmed the lead to 21-19. The power combo of Inck and Alcorn would be the difference down the stretch though as the Sunbirds closed it out.

"We've got to become more consistent," said Winter. "When we get a big lead like that we've got to put the other team away. We're going to be working on becoming more efficient all around. If we play like we did during some of those stretches tonight, it's going to lead to a lot of long, extended matches and we are going to be physically broken down."

In set four FPU trailed 18-15 before running off three straight points to tie it. The match was still tied at 21-21 until Waller and Inck helped the Sunbirds pull away. CPP got within one, but a final kill by Williams gave the Sunbirds the win.

Lauren Jones led CPP with 14 kills, while Alexa Hasen and Jessica Doerner added 13 apiece with high attack percentages.

The Sunbirds got a big boost from junior Lyndsie Petersen in the two matches, who is showing herself thus far to be a breakout player for the 2013 team, complementing the offensive firepower of Inck, Williams and Alcorn while also giving Butler help with the team's stingy defense.

"She's just keeping us in the game," said Winter. "She's digging balls, keeping balls in play, blocking, hitting when we need her to, she's doing everything for us. She's adjusting to her new position well and keeps doing better and better for us."

FPU continues the tournament tomorrow, with two tough matches against Cal State Dominguez Hills and the host school #13 UC San Diego. The Sunbirds play CSUDH at 10 am. The Toros defeated two PacWest teams today, California Baptist 3-2 and Point Loma 3-0.

UC San Diego and FPU face off at 2:30 tomorrow in what will be the first match of the day for the Tritons, while the Sunbirds will have just played a match. UCSD defeated CBU 3-1 today and faces Point Loma later tonight.