GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.- Despite their most efficient set of the season, the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds (2-5 overall) had Friday end with a pair of losses to #14 Colorado Mesa (6-0 overall) and Dallas Baptist University (4-2 overall) at the 2023 DoubleTree by Hilton Maverick Fall Classic.

The 'Birds came out swinging in the first set against Colorado Mesa capturing it 25-19, playing their most efficient set of the season. 
 
As a team, FPU notched a .406 attacking percentage. Five different Sunbirds logged at least one kill in the set with super senior Corrine Acosta leading the way with five.

Sophomore Geneva Elliott also shined with four kills on five attempts. 
 
The Sunbirds also dominated defensively winning the side out percentage at 73%. 
 
Colorado Mesa's first lead of the game finally came on the first point of the second set. Despite tallying 15 kills compared to the Maverick's 13, the Sunbirds were hamstrung by 12 total errors and dropped the second set 25-19.
 
In the third, Fresno Pacific battled back and forth by trading five different lead changes and led by as much as four.

 The Sunbirds recorded six total blocks in the frame, with two each from Madison Girnius and Makena Ogas. Despite finally getting some breaks defensively, the Mavericks would end the set on a 4-0 run and to win the 3^rd set 25-18. 
 
The struggles for the Sunbirds continued into the fourth. The #14 team in the country recorded another attack percentage above .300 while FPU's offense struggled to duplicate the efficiency it had in the first set. 
 
After being tied 13-13, the Mavericks would win 12 of the next 15 points to clinch the set and the match. 
 
Acosta would finish the match with a team high 11 kills while adding a pair of aces from the service line.

Elliott recorded her most efficient match thus far as a Sunbird and contributed eight total kills while leading the team with three blocks.
 
The Sunbirds struggled to find replicate their early efficiency in the second match of the day against Dallas Baptist. 

The first and second sets were tightly contested with several ties and lead changes.

Both offenses struggled in the first set, but Ogas led the way with three of FPU's seven kills in the opening set. DBU was forced into 9 errors by FPU but found a way to score enough to hold off the Sunbirds in a 25-22 first set.

Set two proved to be the difference maker as the Sunbirds failed to take the lead being tied at seven different points in the game.

Junior Claire Corippo led the set for the Sunbirds registering four kills, but a service ace, an error, and a kill put away the 2nd set for the Patriots 25-22. 

The Patriots seized the momentum with a two set lead and registered their highest attacking percentage of the match to put away the Sunbirds, 25-18. 

20 attack errors piled up for FPU in the loss, but Ogas led the way for the 'Birds in multiple categories with seven kills, two service aces, and three blocks. 
 
The Sunbirds final match of the tournament is tomorrow at 1:30pm against Cal Poly Humboldt. The game can be viewed for free on the RMAC Network. 
 
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