O'Fallon, Ill.- Turnovers and missed opportunities spoiled the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds bid for the conference championship as they fell 7-3 to the Biola Eagles in the semifinals of the WWPA Championships Saturday afternoon.
 
To start the match, the Eagles and Sunbirds both struggled to convert possessions into goals.
 
The teams combined for 15 total shots in the 1^stquarter, 9 for the Eagles and 6 for the Sunbirds. They also combined for a total of 7 collective turnovers.
 
The 2^nd quarter started with a similar theme until the Eagles' Marija Mijuskovic converted at the 5-minute mark to give the Eagles the lead 1-0.
 
Fresno Pacific attempted to counter back but turned the ball over on two consecutive opportunities.
 
Less than a minute later, the Eagles found the back of the net once again this time with a goal from Ava LoBue to extend their lead 2-0.
 
The next two possessions featured back-to-back saves by respective goalies, but it was the Eagles who ultimately broke through again to make it 3-0 heading into the last two-minutes of the 2^nd quarter.
 
A breakthrough finally came for the Sunbirds in the 2-minute mark when Rosemary Chapman drew the penalty shot and converted from the five-meter mark to give Fresno Pacific their first point of the day.
 
Defense turned to offense in the final seconds of the 2^nd quarter when the Sunbirds Natalie Kissling stole the ball and assisted to Emma Cook who found the back of the net to bring the Sunbirds back within one heading into halftime. 
 
In the 3^rd, the Eagles came out of halftime strong scoring two unanswered goals to extend their lead to 3.
 
As the match progressed the Sunbirds and the Eagles continued in their struggle to convert, with more turnovers and missed shots.
 
In the 2-minute mark of the 3^rd, Chapman finally delivers an answer for the Sunbirds for her second goal of the match with the assist from Hannah Walker to come within 2.
 
That however would be the closest the Sunbirds would come as the Eagles stepped on the gas in the 4^th quarter scoring two unanswered to close the match and win the game 7-3.
 
In total, the Sunbirds delivered 29 shots on the day and failed to convert on 6 powerplays.
 
The Sunbirds Tatum Benson was held scoreless for the first time in 17-consecutive games.
 
With the loss, Fresno Pacific will advance to the 3^rd place match against Cal State East Bay at 9:30am on Sunday to wrap up the season.
 
 
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