COSTA MESA, Calif. – The No. 19 'Birds faced true adversity on Thursday afternoon, as the Sunbirds battled against the Vanguard Lions in a thrilling four-set match. Despite dropping the opening set for the first time this season, the Sunbirds rallied with scores of 16-25, 25-22, 25-21 and 25-20, highlighted by a .519 hitting percentage in the fourth set.

"We definitely had a slow start this evening. We were a little timid at the start offensively and went away from what we are really good at," said head coach Kelsee Montagna. "We knew Vanguard was going to be good in system so we needed to put pressure on them on the service line and at the net. This was the first time we've lost the first set this season and I am proud of the way we bounced back and took over the match. We found our groove again and are playing really well."

Early on, the Sunbirds found themselves trailing as Vanguard opened with a series of kills, pushing the score to 3-0 before a service error allowed Fresno Pacific to get on the board. Cambria Waites recorded a kill to bring the score to 4-2, but Vanguard continued to apply pressure, extending their lead to 7-2. Midway through the set, Makayla Smith and Sydney Hancock contributed kills, supported by Mikayla Weiss's assists, but the Lions maintained control, moving the score to 15-6. A brief rally from the 'Birds, highlighted by a block from Waites and middle Geneva Elliott, reduced the deficit to 16-10. Despite their efforts, including a service ace from Madelyn Feramisco, Vanguard sustained their lead. Vanguard secured the final points, concluding the first set with a 25-16 lead. It was the first time this season that the 'Birds dropped the first set of a match.

A strong kill down the line by Waites made it 10-16 in the second set, but the Lions pounced on the Sunbirds' errors and remained ahead. Vanguard's repeated service errors allowed the 'Birds to creep back into the game. Smith swung past the block, sending a ball to the back corner to make it a three-point deficit, forcing Vanguard's first timeout of the game. Smith was a driving force for the Sunbirds, tallying kill after kill to bring the Sunbirds back 17-18. Libero Devyn Castaneda tied the score with a service ace that dropped in the seam. After two thrilling rallies, Weiss remained determined on the service line, securing another ace for the 'Birds and capturing their biggest lead in the game thus far. Vanguard's service errors were their dooming factor in the second set, allowing the No. 19 'Birds to come back and take it 25-22.

The third set kicked off with an incredible set assist by Weiss to awaiting middle Elliott. Smith recorded two back-to-back service aces to give FPU a 3-0 lead. Feramisco got in on the action with a deep kill that the Lions struggled to defend. Fresno Pacific took firm control over the Lions with Weiss' unexpected kill at the 9-3 mark. The team maintained momentum with more contributions from Feramisco and Weiss, extending the lead to 10-3. Despite a brief rally from Vanguard that cut the lead to 14-13, the Sunbirds responded with kills from Waites and Elliott, pushing the score to 19-17. Strong blocking lines and precise assists from the Sunbirds helped maintain their edge. Closing the set, Fresno Pacific capitalized on attack errors from Vanguard and secured the set with a block by Elliott and Waites, concluding the set 25-21.

In the fourth, Fresno Pacific blazed ahead of Vanguard, bouncing back from a deficit to lead it 18-16. Elliott and Weiss paired off at the net to capture a block on the outside, then Smith brought the house down with a sharp kill down the line. FPU capitalized on defensive errors from Vanguard, including another block by Elliott and Waites, which further extended their lead. Key contributions from Smith and Feramisco kept the team steady as they approached the final moments of the set. In the closing stages, a service ace by Waites sealed the win for Fresno Pacific, ending it with a 25-20 victory.

Although the Sunbirds faced adversity, there were multiple double-doubles for the Blue and Orange. Smith led the team with 15 kills and added 10 digs over four sets. Graduate setter Weiss contributed significantly by recording 40 assists and 10 digs. Waites posted 11 kills and registered 10 digs, while Elliott added seven kills and four total blocks. Libero Castaneda excelled defensively with 15 digs, and Feramisco added to the defensive effort with 16 digs and nine kills.

The undefeated 'Birds boast an impressive overall record of 17-0 and a conference record of 5-0 in the PacWest. 

NEXT UP: The Sunbirds compete against Menlo College on Wednesday, Oct. 6 at 6 pm.
 
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