STOCKTON, Calif.- The Fresno Pacific Sunbirds faced off against the University of Pacific Tigers in a weekend non-conference matchup Saturday afternoon at the Chris Kjeldsen Pool at the Douglass M. Eberhardt Aquatics Center.

The Sunbirds started the game with promise, as Tatum Benson scored the team's first goal in the opening period, assisted by goalkeeper Katie Whittingham, bringing the score to 4-1. However, Pacific quickly established dominance, racking up five goals in the first period alone. 

Fresno Pacific fought back in the second period, with Benson striking again on an exclusion opportunity, assisted by Sierra Coyne, and Coyne herself netting a power-play goal. Yet, Pacific's offensive prowess, kept the Tigers ahead, ending the half at 9-3.

The third period proved challenging for the Sunbirds, as they were shut out while Pacific added three more goals to their tally, widening the gap to 12-3.

Undeterred, the Sunbirds mounted a late comeback attempt in the fourth period. Benson completed her hat trick with a goal assisted by Summer Fulton, and Coyne added her second of the day, assisted by Alli Hepner, bringing the score to 12-5. However, the Tigers sealed the victory with a final goal, ending the game at 13-5.

Statistically, Fresno Pacific showed resilience, with Benson leading the team with three goals on seven shots and Coyne contributing two goals and an assist on four shots. The Sunbirds took 32 shots compared to Pacific's 31 but struggled to convert, finishing with a 5-for-32 performance. Defensively, Whittingham made seven saves in 24 minutes, while Evalena Filippi added one save in her eight minutes in goal. The team also faced eight exclusions, with Maggie Cook drawing three. 

UP NEXT

The Sunbirds will hop back into WWPA conference play as they head down south for a rematch with the Biola Eagles, Friday at 1pm at the Splash! Aquatics Center. 

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