CLAREMONT, Calif. – Fresno Pacific split a pair of games at the Gary Troyer Memorial Tournament on Friday in non-conference action. The Sunbirds (3-7) defeated Pomona-Pitzer, 13-10, in the opener before falling short in the nightcap to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, 10-9.

The Sunbirds jumped out to a quick start in game one with a 4-1 opening quarter and went into the intermission with a 7-2 advantage. Pomona-Pitzer answered with a strong third quarter with four goals, compared to FPU's one, to cut the Sunbirds' lead to 8-6 before the fourth quarter.

After the Sagehens tied the game at 8-8 early in the final frame, FPU used a 4-1 run in just under two minutes to take control of the match. Greg Bracamonte opened the run with a goal, while Daniel Seymour added two goals and David Maes found the back of the cage once for FPU.

Zlatko Vlasic led the Sunbirds' offense with four goals, while Seymour and Maes tallied a hat trick apiece. Bracamonte scored twice and Steven Kaufmann rounded out the scoring with a goal.

In the second game of the evening, FPU and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps were engaged in a battle that came down to the final quarter. The Sunbirds trailed 9-7 as the final period started and fought back to knot the game at 9-9 with 4:34 to play.

After each team nearly found the back of the cage, the Stags took the lead at the 1:36 mark. FPU attacked several times in the closing minutes and had a chance to tie the game on the last possession, but couldn't find the equalizer as the Sunbirds fell 10-9.

Vlasic led the Sunbirds with a hat trick in the loss, while Seymour and Maes tallied two goals apiece. Bracamonte and Connor Cookingham rounded out the scoring with one goal each.

The Sunbirds continue the Gary Troyer Memorial Tournament with two more games tomorrow against Caltech (10:20 a.m.) and Occidental (3:30 p.m.).