FRESNO, Calif.-Despite creating a majority of the chances and finding an equalizer five minutes into the second half, the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds (2-4 overall, 0-1 PacWest) fell 2-1 to the Holy Names Hawks (2-2-3 overall, 1-0 PacWest) in the PacWest opener Saturday night at Ramirez Field.

While neither team could convert the chances into threatening shots over much of the first half hour, Fresno Pacific was ability to develop a majority of the chances and a majority of the shots.

Holy Names was able to strike first as Ricardo Martin corralled the cross from Jehimy Arias and found space between the near post and Carballo with just five minutes before half.

Fresno Pacific was able to make the most of an earl opportunity five minutes into the second half.
Chris Macias circled around midfield before dropping off to Gabriel Monteiro. Monteiro quickly found Fabricio Saboya in the attacking third for a tap on to Cesar Melgar.

Melgar hit a low spinning shot that ricocheted off of the Holy Names defense and away from the keeper to level the score at 1-1.

But in the 60^th minute, Holy Names countered and found Erik Arias who found his way into a 1-on-1 situation, promptly breaking the tie to make it 2-1 HNU.

The Sunbirds had a few chances off of set pieces in the second half but couldn't convert.

In the 87^th minute, the FPU defense believed the ball went out of bounds and caught a cross in the box, leading to a Holy Names penalty kick that Marco Carbajal cashed in to make the score 3-1 Holy Names.

Fresno Pacific had nearly twice the shots and more than twice the corners as Holy Names but were often turned away by the Hawks' keeper Malel Rios.

FPU will head south for its next two PacWest matches, taking on Biola in La Mirada on Thursday before traveling to San Diego to play Point Loma on Saturday.

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