HONOLULU – The Fresno Pacific women's basketball team suffered its' first loss of conference play on Saturday, falling 88-66 at the hands of reigning PacWest champ Hawai'i Pacific. The loss is the first for the Sunbirds since Nov. 10, snapping a four-game win streak for the Blue and Orange.  
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Hawai'i Pacific 88, Fresno Pacific 66
Records: FPU (5-2, 1-1 PacWest), HPU (3-4, 2-0 PacWest)
Location: Moanalua High School | Honolulu   
Series: HPU leads 8-2
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
• The Sharks controlled the opening tip, but Ashley Cross intercepted a pass into the paint, leading to Jessica Malazarte providing the game's first bucket at the other end.  
• FPU struggled to find the stroke early, but 11 HPU turnovers kept the 'Birds within a bucket at the end of the frame.
• A Bree Alvarez jumper put the Blue and Orange in front 24-21 in the second quarter, but the Sharks answered with a 14-2 run. 
• Malazarte connected on a deep two to give FPU its' first field goal in three minutes, and Hawai'i Pacific went to halftime with a 40-31 lead.
• The two teams exchanged buckets through the first five minutes of the third quarter, with Samantha Lambrigsten's layup sending the game to a media timeout with HPU in front 50-37.
 
STATS FROM THE GAME:
• Malazarte and Cassie Pisik each gave the Sunbirds 16 points, with the latter hauling in a team-high eight rebounds.
• Cross finished her night with six rebounds and four steals, while Alvarez (13 points) was the only other Sunbird to get into double-figures.   
• HPU's trio of Lambrigsten, Amy Baum and Alysha Marcucci combined for 26 rebounds and 59 points. 
• The Sunbirds have yet to lose the turnover battle in any game this season, and the trend continued (24-17) on Saturday night.
 
BEYOND THE BOX:
• Saturday's loss marks the first time this year that the Sunbirds have fallen in a game where they made five or more threes.
• Hawai'i Pacific has now won eight straight meetings against FPU.
 
SOCIAL:
• Twitter - @fpusunbirds
• Instagram - @fpusunbirds 
• Facebook - /FPUathletics
 
UP NEXT:
• The Sunbirds will wrap up the trip to the islands on Monday, when they visit the Vulcans of Hawai'i Hilo. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. PST.