RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Fresno Pacific opened play at the Lancer Invite Friday with a pair of close defeats to Division I opponents. The Sunbirds fell to the Virginia Military Institute, 7-6, before suffering a 7-4 setback against Iona at the Lancer Aquatics Center. 
 
FPU falls to 5-15 overall after the two losses.
 
"I was proud of how hard we played and how we fought against good competition," said head coach Bryan Suhovy. "We are struggling to finish right now, but we are looking forward to learning and growing tomorrow as a team."
 
In the opener against VMI, the Sunbirds trailed 3-2 at the intermission. FPU answered with three goals in the third period to take a 5-4 lead after the quarter. The Keydets answered with a 3-0 run, however, to earn the win. The Sunbirds pulled within one with 30 seconds left, but couldn't find the equalizer before time expired.
 
Alyssa Stevens recorded a hat trick to lead the Sunbird offense. Kaitlin Fletcher, Emily Knowles and Kaeli Hanson rounded out the scoring with a goal apiece. Mallory Rettig tallied two assists.
 
Courtney Hall amassed 12 blocks in the cage for FPU.
 
The Sunbirds couldn't overcome a slow start in the nightcap against Iona. FPU trailed 4-1 at halftime and 5-2 after three quarters. The Sunbird offense added two goals in the final period, but it proved too little too late in the 7-4 defeat.
 
Rettig, Fletcher, Emily Marr and Julia Ponce each tallied a goal apiece for the Sunbirds. Fletcher and Marr added an assist each to their lines. FPU capitalized on three-of-six man-up advantages throughout the match.
 
Kelsie Harvey started the second game and finished with six saves.
 
FPU is back in action at the Invite tomorrow against St. Francis Brooklyn (11:30 am) and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (3:15 pm).