FRESNO, Calif.- A string of blocks and a balanced offensive night propeled the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds (9-13 overall, 5-8 PacWest) to its first sweep since the first day of the season in their return home against the Academy of Art Urban Knights (3-19 overall, 2-13 PacWest) Friday night in the Special Events Center.

While the opening set went back and forth, the Sunbirds pulled away the rest of the night for their first sweep since September 1st against Western New Mexico.

Fresno Pacific took an early lead 5-1 after going on a four point run behind kills from Madison Girnius, Claire Corippo, and Corinne Acosta. 

The Sunbirds continued to maintain the lead with strong passing and play from the middles Girnius and Geneva Elliott. 

With the Sunbirds up 15-10, the Urban Knights put together a five point unanswered run to tie the score 15-15. 

The teams continued to trade points until at 23-23, the 'Birds scored two straight points off an attack error by the Urban Knights and a block Mia Gilcrest to take the first 25-23. 

The second set was all Sunbirds as they started off of a ten point run off Cambria Waites' serve to take an early 10-0 lead.

Kills from Corippo, Acosta, and an ace from Waites highlighted the early scoring for the 'Birds.

The dominance continued as a service ace from Acosta, kills from Gilcrest, and errors on the Urban Knights allowed the Sunbirds to take their largest lead of the set 20-7.

The Urban Knights managed to string together a run of seven points to bring themselves back within eight, but it wasn't enough as another kill from Girnius finished off the set for the Sunbirds 25-16. 

For the first time since the first set, the Sunbirds found themselves down 4-6 early in the third. 

A kill from Makena Ogas and an error on the Urban Knights tied the score back up 6-6.

Another five point run for the Sunbirds allowed them to recapture the lead 14-8 highlighted by three straight back-back kills from Gilcrest. Gilcrest delivered six of her team high nine kills in the third set.

The third continued to be all Sunbirds as errors by Academy of Art, with kills and back-back blocks from Girnius helping the Sunbirds take their largest lead of the set at nine, 21-12. 

The Urban Knights attempted a comback winning seven of the next nine points to bring themselves back within five. 

At 23-18, kills from Elliott and Ogas closed the door on the Urban Knights securing the set and the win for the Sunbirds 25-18.

Six Sunbirds ended the match with four kills or more with Ogas and Gilcrest leading the way with nine. 

A dominant performance in the middle by Girnius saw her tally seven kills, four solo blocks, and three block assists for one of her best performances of the year.

Its just the second sweep of the season for FPU and ended with a .288 team attack percentage, the highest of the season.

The Sunbirds will look to continue their winning ways as they will be back in the Special Events Center tomorrow at 2pm against Dominican University. 

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