FRESNO, Calif. - In the first exhibition match of the season, Fresno Pacific women's basketball fell to local Division I opponent Fresno State 38-87 at the Save Mart Center on Monday night.

"It was such a great night—one we'll grow from as we continue our relentless pursuit of excellence," said head coach Tim Beauregard. "I'm especially proud that we started five local players, including three freshmen, who had the opportunity to compete in the Save Mart Center in front of their friends and families. Fresno State's size and athleticism definitely tested us in the first half, but halftime was pivotal for our young group. We were able to calm down, refocus, and the third quarter showed us everything we needed to see from this game. Our togetherness and connectivity in the second half were great to see, and we'll carry that confidence and focus into this final stretch before the games start to count. There will be no flinch in our dream chase—we believe deeply in what this group is becoming."

Despite a tough start for the FPU, several Sunbirds rose to the challenge and bridged the 6-42 gap after halftime, effectively adding points to the board in the third quarter. The women's team tallied 21 points in the third followed by 11 in the fourth, concluding the game 38-87.

Freshman Sienna Evans led the scoring effort with 14 points, shooting 5-for-16 from the field, and added three steals. She was among the five local players who started in the match. Angela Whitfield contributed defensively with three steals and collected six rebounds. Alexa Perryman scored seven points and made five of six free throw attempts. Jordyn Ybarra was efficient with a perfect shooting night, finishing with three points and four rebounds. Junior forward Ashley Aughterson contributed five rebounds and a block to the team's effort. In the fourth quarter, Kira Wilmurt hit a three-pointer at 6:43 that energized the team until the clock ran out.

NEXT UP: The Sunbirds host Cal State East Bay for a scrimmage on Saturday, Nov. 8th at 2 pm. The regular season kicks off for the 'Birds at the Chico Invitational on Nov. 14th and 15th.

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