SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - The Fresno Pacific Sunbirds recorded a 3-1 victory against Lubbock Christian University Saturday morning in the final game of the Route 92 Classic.
The Sunbirds started the match slow, struggling with errors, allowing LCU to take advantage.
Knotted at 5-5, the Lady Chaps won four straight points to open up their lead.
The 'Birds managed to surge back tying the score back again at 13-13 behind kills from
Mia Gilcrest,
Geneva Elliott and
Makayla Smith, but it was as close as they would get again as LCU ran away with the set taking it 25-20.
Fresno Pacific regrouped in the second set.
The second set proved to be the most tightly contested with 14 tie scores and nine lead changes with either team not leading by more than three points at a time.
Tied at 19-19, the Sunbirds took advantage of two straight errors on the Lady Chaps to recapture the lead.
A pair of kills from Gilcrest and a service ace from
Cambria Waites sealed the second set for the 'Birds as they took it 25-20.
Set three was all Fresno Pacific highlighted by 14 kills, three service aces, and eight blocks.
The Sunbirds took the lead early and ran away with the set 25-16.
Like the previous two sets, the 'Birds took an early lead.
Behind kills from Gilcrest, Waites, and Smith, FPU managed to expand their lead to as much as seven at one point.
The Lady Chaps stormed back bringing it within one late in the set at 21-20, but the Sunbirds slammed the door winning five out of the next six points to take the set 25-22 and the match 3-1.
It was a morning of career highs as Gilcrest recorded a career high 18 kills and
Madison Girnius was dominant on the blocks with a career high 10.
The Sunbirds ended the match with 57 kills and 30 blocks, their highest totals of the season.
Fresno Pacific will head down south to open up PacWest conference play against the Biola Eagles Friday evening at 5pm in La Mirada.
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