FRESNO, Calif. - A trio of first half goals from 3rd ranked Point Loma sunk the Sunbirds 3-0 at home Thursday night.  It was the second consecutive game that FPU had to face off with a top-five foe, having lost to #4 Hawaii-Hilo last weekend.  The reigning NCAA D-II national champions seem to have the Sunbirds' number, as the win makes it five straight to go along with 13 wins in the previous 15 matchups.  

Point Loma established control early in the first half, scoring their first goal in the 4th minute by Bethany Arabe. The visitors continued to press, earning a series of five corner kicks within the first 15 minutes. Nicki Friedman doubled Point Loma's lead with a goal in the 15th minute, assisted by Alyssa Ketcham. Alana Diaz added a third goal for Point Loma in the 24th minute, again with an assist from Ketcham, establishing a 3-0 lead over the Sunbirds by the end of the half. 

The second half began with the Sunbirds and Sea Lions making their respective formations. FPU hung with their opponent throughout the frame and looked more dangerous on the attack at times.  A foul was committed by Point Loma's Laney Herrero in the 66th minute, followed shortly by an offside call against the Sunbirds in the 68th minute. The Sunbirds' Mariah Contreras attempted a shot at 73:15, which went out at the top, and another shot by Karyssa Lopez in the 78th minute was saved by Point Loma's goalkeeper, Julia Pinnell. Point Loma was caught offside in the 79th minute, and the half concluded with a shot by Point Loma's Natalie Clouse being saved by the Sunbirds' goalkeeper, Katelyn Gonzalez, in the 88th minute. The final score wouldn't change in the second half, with the Sea Lions earning a 3-0 victory that has them sitting atop the PacWest standings ahead of the final game of the season.  Both men's and women's teams have a chance on Saturday to clinch their respective PacWest titles for Point Loma.  

Despite the back-to-back defeats to superior sides, it's been a season of tremendous progress for the Lady 'Birds.  Improvement in every facet of the game has been on display since the season began and is a testament to the impact new Associate Head Coach Roberto Hernandez has made in his first season.  They'll try to close out 2024 on a high Saturday against Biola University on Senior Night.  Kickoff is set for 7:30pm from Ramirez Field and will be streaming on the PacWest Network.

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