FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno Pacific University women's basketball team hosted Stanislaus State in a game that featured nine lead changes and six ties, as both teams battled throughout the 40-minute contest as the Warriors edged past the Sunbirds 65-57 on Wednesday evening. 
 
 QUOTABLE
 "We felt like the game was going the way we wanted it to go for most of the time. We were getting the shots that we wanted and executing them the way we wanted to as well. The more our shots did not fall the more we tried to attack the rim. When those shots didn't fall it was just not going to be our night. Although it was our worst shooting outing of the year, we know we can keep games close because of our defense. We did that again tonight but again in the fourth, while within striking distance, they hit all the shots they needed to, and we did not. Not happy about the result but I am thankful to coach this team and excited to search for ways to lead them better. No flinch in our dream chase. Our best basketball is ahead of us." - head coach Tim Beauregard. 
   
 HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Warriors started the game with a 10-2 run that spanned the first 5:08 of the game.
• The Sunbirds erased the deficit throughout the first quarter, as Anisa Rillo's late jumper, as the team trailed 17-16. 
• Rillo opened the second quarter with a three, putting the Sunbirds up 19-17. 
• Lydia Manu's jumper with 6:14 left in the first half kept the Birds up 25-24.
• With 2:26 to play in the first half, the Warriors led by four. 
• The Sunbirds pounced, using a late 7-0 run that featured a jumper from Felecia Dourva, a layup from Jenna Kurz, and a three-pointer from Rillo to put the team up 32-39 at halftime. 
• In the third quarter, Kurz banked in another layup to put the Sunbirds up 40-37.
• The Warriors closed the third quarter with an 11-2 run to go up 48-42 with 10 minutes to play.
• A three from Stanislaus State gave them their largest lead of the game as they went up 53-42 with just over eight minutes left.
• A three-pointer from Rillo cut the deficit to five points with 2:58 remaining. 
• The Sunbirds couldn't trim the gap, falling 65-57. 

STATS FROM THE GAME

• Rillo led the Sunbirds with 15 points on 4-for-6 shooting from the field, including three three-pointers. 
• Rachel Berry was relentless, scoring nine points while pulling eight rebounds and dishing out a team-high four assists. 
• Maesyn Rix was a menace on the boards, gobbling up a game-high 12 rebounds.
• FPU struggled offensively, going 19-for-65 from the field.
• The Birds made up for it from the charity stripe, going 14-for-18 from the free throw line. 

UP NEXT

• The Sunbirds return to the court on Thursday, Dec. 2 for their first PacWest game of the year. They take on Biola at 5:30 p.m. in La Mirada, Calif. 

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