RIVERSIDE, Calif.-Several different Sunbirds found the back of the net but Fresno Pacific (0-3 overall) fell to the Azusa Pacific Cougars and the University of the Pacific Tigers Friday at the Lancer Joust hosted by California Baptist.
Azusa led the whole way as FPU dropped the afternoon contest 17-6 to the Cougars. The Sunbirds fell in the night cap against an aggressive UOP squad by the score of 24-8.
After a stalemate over the first four minutes, Azusa Pacific struck first finding the net with 5:53 remaining in the first quarter.
Bella Alcazar immediately responded to tie the game at 1, but APU scored three straight goals to take a 4-1 before the end of the first.
The Cougars scored six more times to extend the lead to 10-1 before
Emma Cook found the net for Fresno Pacific, cashing for the first time on the powerplay after five other attempts.
The Azusa Pacific keeper notched 8 saves in the first half to give the Cougars an 10-2 lead at the half.
Alcazar added her second goal after the Cougars tacked on three more to their lead, closing the third quarter at 13-3.
The Sunbirds began to capitalize on APU's mistakes in the fourth as
Emily Lopez-Ibarra added a goal just minutes into the fourth on a penalty for FPU. Two minutes later
Sam Dieterle capitalized on a powerplay to trim the deficit to eight.
Regan Azevedo got into the field late in the fourth and immediately found the net to answer an APU score, keeping the difference at eight.
APU tacked on three more goals in the final minutes to beat Fresno Pacific 17-6.
In the nightcap, FPU started
Katie Whittingham in goal and mixed up the lineup with Cook and
Alli Hepner getting their first starts.
The University of Pacific scored the first goal a minute in and doubled their advantage just two minutes later.
The Tigers had a 4-0 halfway through the first quarter as they created six shots while the Sunbirds were able to get off just two in the early going.
Pacific built a 5-0 lead before
Emma Cook found the net for the first FPU goal.
Natalie Kissling quickly followed with the second goal for the Sunbirds, pulling FPU within three, in the final minute of the quarter.
Pacific widened its lead by the half  before Benson tallied her first goal of the game and Kissling contributed a second.
The Sunbirds also got a 4
th quarter goal from
Maddie Murad after an assist from
Alexandria Jasso.
Emily Lopez-Ibarra and Kissling each added goals midway through the fourth as Kissling completed her hat trick.
But Pacific dominated possession and took a majority of the shots as they scored on 73% of their chances to put the game out of reach.
Fresno Pacific will close the Lancer Joust with two more games in Riverside on Saturday. The Sunbirds will play Redlands at 10:30 a.m. and then close the weekend against UC Irvine at 2:15 p.m.
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