SANTA CRUZ, Calif. – Jaalyn Sotoa-Stuebing's 16 kills powered Fresno Pacific over UC Santa Cruz 3-1 on Wednesday evening in non-conference action at Kaiser Permanente Arena. The Sunbirds used their best offensive performance of the season to pick up their first win of 2018. 
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Fresno Pacific 3, UC Santa Cruz 1
Set Scores: 18-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-11
Records: FPU (1-10), UCSC (2-8)
All-Time Series: FPU leads 9-0
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
• After dropping the opening set, the Sunbirds jumped back into the match with a victory in frame number two. With the score 15-15, FPU used a 7-2 run behind three kills from Sotoa-Stuebing to take control.
• Set three was tight throughout before the Sunbirds scored four of five points after trailing 20-19. UCSC then cut into the lead 23-22, but kills from Caroline Bodziak and Carley Bock sealed the victory to give FPU a 2-1 lead in the match.
• The 'Birds carried the momentum into the fourth where they hit .481 and ran away with the set to earn the 3-1 match victory.
 
STATS OF THE MATCH:
• Sotoa-Stuebing paced the Sunbird offense with 16 kills on .400 hitting, while Bodziak added 10 kills on .364 hitting and a team-best three blocks. Christina Tran facilitated the attack with 40 assists, Bock put down nine kills and Mikayla Kennedy added seven kills.
• The FPU defense totaled a season-high 78 digs as a team, which was fueled by Sierra LeBeau's 21 and Hannah Miller's 16. Tran and Sotoa-Stuebing also added 11 digs apiece to record double-doubles.
• The 'Birds closed the night hitting .209 as a team and held the Banana Slugs to .073.
 
BEYOND THE BOX:
• The Sunbirds now hold a perfect 9-0 record against the UC Santa Cruz.
• Sotoa-Stuebing's 16 kills and 11 scoops both marked career bests.
• Tran's 40 assists were a career high as well, besting her previous mark of 37 set in 2017 against Seattle Pacific.
 
SOCIAL:
• Twitter - @fpusunbirds | Instagram - @fpusunbirds | Facebook - /FPUathletics
 
UP NEXT:
• FPU jumps back into PacWest play on Saturday as the Sunbirds host Dominican at 3 p.m. at the Special Events Center.