HAYWARD, Calif.- Every time the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds (12-15 overall, 2-4 WWPA) got close, the Cal State East Bay Pioneers found another gear, handing FPU a 16-9 loss in the season finale Saturday afternoon at the Pioneer Pool.
 
Tatum Benson scored three times as Fresno Pacific looked for its first ever season sweep of CSUEB, just weeks after picking up its third win in the history of the rivalry.
 
The 'Birds had a couple of early leads in the first quarter but East Bay responded by the end of the period to take a 3-2 lead.
 
The Pioneers piled on two more goals in the beginning of the second quarter before FPU scored behind Hannah Walker.
 
East Bay responded before Benson's second goal of the game.
 
However, the Pioneers put two more in the back of the cage before half to build an 8-4 lead.
 
East Bay made the lead 10-5 before consecutive goals from Emma Cook, the first time in the game that Fresno Pacific scored without conceding a goal, brought FPU back within three.
 
The Pioneers widened the lead a bit before Benson scored toward the end of the third period.
 
Yet it was the start of the fourth period that seemed to clinch the game for CSUEB, as the Pioneers scored three times to build a six goal advantage before Rosemary Chapman scored.
 
The Pioneers added two more for their largest lead of the day and ended up wrapping up the game.
 
One of the biggest differences from the first meeting, was the lack of exclusions. As the two teams combined for just six on the day, keeping the game at full strength for almost the entirety of the game.
 
Benson's three goals give her 58 on the season and put her 5^th all-time in FPU history for single-season goals.
 
Fresno Pacific will head out to Illinois for the WWPA Conference Championships April 28^th and 29^th for a chance to extend its season.
 
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