SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Sunday proved to be a historic day for the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds as they stormed back from a narrow deficit to earn their first ever program victory over the NCAA Division I Santa Clara Broncos 12-9.
The Sunbirds got off to a strong start, trading goals early before edging ahead 3-2 midway through the first quarter, thanks to scores from Maggie Cook, Tatum Benson, and Regan Azevedo. However, Santa Clara surged late in the period, tallying two goals in the final two minutes to take a 4-3 lead. The Broncos would extend their advantage briefly in the second with a power play goal, but the 'Birds responded with poise. A powerful shot from T. Benson cut the lead to one, followed by quick strikes from Maddie Murad and M. Cook, the latter coming in a 6-on-5 advantage, giving Fresno Pacific a 6-5 edge at halftime.
The third quarter became a back-and-forth showcase of offensive flair, with Santa Clara reclaiming the lead 9-8 after a barrage of four goals. Yet, the Sunbirds refused to fold. Azevedo answered with a critical power play goal, and with just 30 seconds left in the frame, Bella Alcazar converted another man-up opportunity to even the score at nine apiece heading into the fourth. What followed was a masterclass in execution and control by the Sunbirds. They recorded a shutout in the final period, holding Santa Clara scoreless while delivering four unanswered goals. M. Cook sparked the rally with her third goal of the day, assisted by Azevedo. T. Benson then completed her hat trick after a slick feed from Alcazar. The dagger came with just under four minutes to play—Cook's fourth goal, again on a power play, assisted by T. Benson. Alli Hepner sealed the win in the final minute, connecting off an assist from Azevedo for the 12-9 final.
Statistically, the Sunbirds made the most of their opportunities, scoring 12 goals on 28 shots, with a remarkable six goals coming via power play. They drew seven exclusions from Santa Clara, including several key sequences late in the game. M. Cook's complete performance (4 goals, 2 assists, 2 exclusions drawn) was backed by Benson's all-around effort (3 goals, 1 assist, 2 steals), while Azevedo also had a standout two-way game (2 goals, 2 assists, 1 exclusion drawn. Goalkeeper Katie Whittingham stood tall in net, making 10 saves while limiting the Broncos to zero goals in the final quarter. Defensively, Fresno Pacific tightened up when it mattered most, recording key steals and blocks while absorbing physical play from Santa Clara, who were hit with 11 exclusions and struggled to convert late chances.
"Coming off of a couple of tough weeks, this win felt good for several reasons," said head coach Bryan Suhovy. "We had the big win against CSUMB yesterday, then to turn around and travel up to Santa Clara to beat them for the first time in program history. I'm proud of our women for rallying and the grit they displayed. Santa Clara started to pull away in the third but we stayed confident and consistent to pull out a solid win. Our game is coming together at the right time. We have strong momentum heading into the WWPA [Championships]. We're in a good place right now and I'm excited to see what this team can do as it all comes together."
UP NEXT
The Sunbirds will head to Merced Friday for their final game of the regular season as they take on the UC Merced Bobcats at 5pm. Fresno Pacific will then head to Morgantown, West Virginia for the WWPA Championships. The 'Birds have been awarded the #2 seed in the west region and will take on #3 seed in the east, Gannon, in the quarterfinals on Friday, April at 1pm EST.
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