CLAREMONT, Calif. – The Fresno Pacific women's water polo team closed out the Convergence Tournament with two wins on Saturday. The Sunbirds escaped the opener with a 9-8 victory against La Verne before closing out the tourney with a dominating 21-0 win against Caltech.
 
The Sunbirds have now won eight of their last nine games and improve to 9-6 overall on the season after going 3-1 on the weekend.
 
Julia Ponce led FPU to the win in the opener after finding the back of the net five times. The Sunbirds built up a 7-3 lead before the Leopards scored four of the last five goals, but it wasn't enough as FPU held on the for the win.
 
Ponce's five goals were a game-high. Amber Penney added two scores and Savannah Mangrum and Hannah Holly scored one goal apiece. Courtney Hall added 10 saves to head the defense.
 
FPU then recorded its first-ever shutout in program history en route to the 21-0 win over Caltech. The Sunbirds scored six times in the opening quarter and never looked back. The 21 goals also mark the second-highest scoring output in program history.
 
A pair of freshman led the way for the Sunbirds, as Sam Witt and Gabriella Garcia-Roy scored four goals apiece. Coco Demoulin also scored four times, while Nonie Grant added a hat trick.  
 
Kaylin Drum added six saves for FPU, while Melanie Thomas also blocked five shots in the cage.
 
The Sunbirds now travel to the Lancer Invitational for three games on Saturday, March 11.