FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno Pacific women's basketball team opened the 2018-19 season last weekend, earning their first ever win in the Crossover Classic before falling by one the following evening. Sunbird guards Jessica Malazarte and Ashley Cross have been honored for their efforts on the opening weekend. 
 
Malazarte and Cross were both selected to the All-Tournament Team, and Malazarte was selected as the PacWest Player of the Week by the league office on Monday afternoon. 
 
A sophomore from Carson, Calif., Malazarte went for a career-high seven three pointers and 32 points to help the Sunbirds open the season with an 80-69 victory over Seattle Pacific. On Saturday night, Malazarte was just one of two players in double-figures as the Blue and Orange saw the game-winning shot rim out as time expired.  
 
"Jess was big for us this weekend and will continue to be that all season long. I've said repeatedly that she's the motor of our team and as she goes, we go. She came out firing on all cylinders on Friday and put together a solid weekend to start the year," head coach Tim Beauregard said. "This league is loaded with very talented players, and we believe she is the cream of the crop. It's a win for our program to see her get early acknowledgment of the hard work she has put in." 
 
Cross, a junior from Detroit, led the 'Birds in scoring on Saturday night and hauled in nine rebounds for the weekend. She shot 10-of-12 from the free throw line and added four steals and four assists while acting as FPU's premier defender. 
 
"Ashley's aggressiveness is going to get her to the line often, and her ability to hit free throws helped keep us in the game on Saturday," Beauregard said. "Ashley has worked on her shot all summer, and that was evident this weekend. We will rely on her a lot this year as it pertains to the pace we want to play." 
 
The Sunbirds are back in action on Thursday, when they welcome San Francisco State to the Special Events Center for the home opener. Tipoff is slated for 6:00 p.m.