SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Moving into the second day of NCAA Regionals, the Sunbirds brought the heat in the five-set showdown against Central Washington, recovering from a dropped fourth set by resetting in the fifth to win it all. The game concluded with the following scores: 13-25, 25-16, 27-25, 20-25, and 15-13. The No. 8 'Birds are making program history by advancing to the NCAA DII West Regional Championship game for the first time ever, where they will face Point Loma for the third time in the last two weeks.

"We are more than ready," said the head coach Kelsee Montagna. "No matter who is on the other side of the net we just have to play our game and be consistent. It's all going to be about who can serve and pass the best and be able to run their offense."

The last time Fresno Pacific faced Central Washington was in 2018, where the team fell in three sets. The 'Birds made certain that the result would be different this time around. FPU initiated the first set with strong offensive plays, highlighted by a series of kills from Itzel Aguayo, assisted by Mikayla Weiss, helping the team to a brief 6-2 lead. Despite the early advantage, Central Washington mounted a significant comeback, capitalizing on a series of attack errors and blocks against the Sunbirds to seize control of the scoreboard. The Sunbirds managed to regroup momentarily with Geneva Elliott's kill and Cambria Waites' service ace, which narrowed the gap. However, Central Washington responded with an extended scoring run, closing the set at 25-13.

The Sunbirds seized control in the second and third set thanks to Weiss's distribution, which allowed Makayla Smith and Madelyn Feramisco to secure crucial points. Itzel Aguayo registered two back-to-back blocks that brought the crowd to their feet and pushed the Sunbirds even more ahead. After trailing 6-8, Fresno Pacific surged ahead with a series of kills from Feramisco and Waites, coupled with a service ace from Mikayla Weiss, bringing the score to 15-13. The Wildcats fought back to tie the score at 23-23, but the Sunbirds responded decisively. Feramisco's kill and Malia Edwardson's service ace clinched the set with a final score of 27-25.

The Blue and Orange faced a challenging fourth set as CWU opened with a strong run, taking an early 3-0 lead. The 'Birds showed resilience, with Weiss stepping up and contributing key kills that helped close the gap, bringing the score to a tense 13-13 tie. The 'Birds briefly gained momentum with a service ace by Waites, narrowing Central Washington's lead to 22-20. However, Central Washington secured the set 25-20.

In the nail-biting fifth set, the Sunbirds surged late to secure a narrow victory over Central Washington. The key moment came as FPU, trailing slightly, tied the score at 13-13 with a kill by Waites assisted by Weiss. Building on this momentum, Waites delivered two more crucial points, including the final shot to the corner, to push the Sunbirds to a 15-13 win in the last set.

Weiss facilitated the offense with 41 assists and added 11 digs in the match. Waites led the attack with a career-high 24 kills on while also contributing 16 digs to earn her twelfth double-double of the season. She was one assist away (9 in total) from hitting her second triple double. FPU's middles had a significant positive impact on the games' momentum in the lengthy match. Aguayo recorded eight kills and participated in six total blocks, including two solo efforts. Elliott was effective at the net, amassing six block assists during the contest.

NEXT UP: The No. 8 'Birds face No. 9 Point Loma in the NCAA Regionals Final on Saturday, December 6 at 7 pm. The winner earns the west regional trophy and a ticket to the NCAA Elite Eight. Come down to the Golden Gymnasium to cheer on your Sunbirds!

To view the NCAA West Regional Tournament Central, CLICK HERE.

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