FRESNO, Calif. — Fresno Pacific women's soccer team was narrowly defeated by Hawaii Hilo with a 1-0 final score Thursday afternoon. The only goal came in the second half, despite the Sunbirds' strong offensive presence in the final minutes.

The match between the 'Birds and Hawaii Hilo began with both teams looking to establish control. Despite several attempts, neither team managed to break the deadlock in the first half.

The Sunbirds sustained their attacking efforts with shots from Karyssa Lopez and Karyme Hernandez, both missing the target narrowly. Despite consistent attempts from Gizelle Aguirre and Nadia Flores, the Vulcans stood firm in goal, denying scoring opportunities.

The second half saw a flurry of attempts from both teams, with PacWest Defensive Player of the Week Ayana Kirisimasi making five saves over the 90 minutes. The Birds' offense was active, with shots from Aguirre and Flores, but they were unable to convert any into goals. Sonoma State transfer Takoah Castillo was relentless along the sideline, juking out defenders and sending countless cross shots into awaiting Sunbirds' paths. Her efforts gave the Blue and Orange a fighting chance in the final minutes.

As the half drew to a close, Hawaii Hilo broke the deadlock in the 89th minute with a goal, marking the only goal of the match. The half concluded with the Sunbirds trailing, 1-0, despite their persistent offensive efforts in the final stretch.

The Sunbirds hold a record of 0-5-2 overall and 0-1-2 in conference play.

NEXT UP: The Blue and Orange head to Cougar Field on Oct. 4^th for a non-conference match versus Azusa Pacific at 7:30 pm.
 
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