SEASIDE, Calif.-A strong run to close the first quarter was just the appetizer before a highly efficient three-point barrage in the second half helped the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds (2-1 overall) pick up a 66-57 road win over the Cal State Monterey Bay Otters (0-2 overall) Friday afternoon at The Kelp Bed.

The Sunbirds broke from an extremely even start during the first quarter, closing the period on a 9-0 run over the final two minutes.

Maesyn Rix had a pair of buckets in the paint in the run to give Fresno Pacific a 23-14 lead at the end of one.

Monterey Bay used a 7-0 run at the start of the second quarter to pull within one possession, but Felicia Dourva swirled in a three to halt the run and push FPU back up by five with four minutes to go in the half.

The Otters spurred another 6-0 run in response, regaining a 29-28 lead.

Nine second quarter turnovers in the quarter by Fresno Pacific helped Monterey Bay climb back into it.

But the Otters did most of their work at the free-throw line, going 7-10 from the stripe in the quarter.

Rix regained the lead for FPU with a second-chance bucket to put FPU up 30-29 at the break.

The Sunbirds found their offensive rhythm in the third quarter by knocking down a trio of threes in the first three minutes.

Dourva knocked down the triple on the opening possession of the half while Jasmine Heu capped a fastbreak that she created on a steal with a pull up from three feet beyond the arc.

Joleen Corona added a three as well that put FPU up 41-34 before Monterey Bay answered with a three of their own just before the media timeout at 4:36 in the third.

The Sunbirds added mostly free-throws, with five of their final nine points in the quarter coming at the stripe over the last four minutes to earn a 50-41 lead heading into the fourth.

The two buckets in that stretch came from Jayla Green who hit a runner at the buzzer to stretch the lead to nine.

The Otters cut that lead down to two in a minute and a half of the fourth quarter behind a 7-0 run.

The Sunbirds offense responded with Dourva and Anisa Rillo burying a pair of threes to buoy the lead to eight.

Monterey Bay trimmed the difference to four before a sizeable scoring drought from both teams.

Dourva broke that at the free throw line before knocking down her fourth three of the game.

A minute later, Dourva found Corona for another three that spread the Sunbirds advantage to 64-52 with just two minutes remaining.

FPU sealed the game despite some late points by CSUMB to earn the road win.

Dourva finished with a game-high 18 points while Maesyn Rix added 11 points and eight rebounds.

"We know each game is a game of runs and I was impressed with our ability to weather their few surges and reestablish our  control," Fresno Pacific Head Coach Tim Beauregard said. "The most prominent stabilizer all night was Fel. We win the game by 9 and she has a +21 plus/minus, that kind of says it all about her night. She was a consistent and steady force all night. When she sets our tone and Maesyn sets our physicality and energy we are the best version of us."

Joleen Corona and Jasmine Heu each added a pair of threes and finished with nine points apiece.

"Then it becomes "anybody, any night" and tonight Jo and Jas hunted and hit some big threes to keep our momentum," Beauregard added.

A big part of the second half offense for FPU was the improved three-point shooting. After going just 2-12 in the first half from deep, the Sunbirds were seven of twelve on threes.

The Sunbirds weathered the storm with three's as 23 turnovers gave the Otters a foot in the door but they forced 21 more turnovers by Monterey Bay.

"There was definite growth from last weekend to this weekend in our connectivity defensively," Beauregard added. "We are and always will be at our best when we play disruptive defense. Our goal was to disrupt their timing and spacing and for good stretches we were able to do that. Film, scout, rest, repeat. We'll chase a better version of our team tomorrow. We'll have to."

Fresno Pacific wraps up the PacWest/CCAA Crossover on Saturday by taking on SF State at 4 p.m. at the Kelp Bed in Seaside.

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