SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The FPU volleyball team continued its brilliant winning streak with two back-to-back sweeps on the last day of the Gator Classic. The PacWest Co-Team of the Week rolled through the weekend with scores of 25-21, 25-15, and 25-17 in the first match, followed by 25-21, 25-14, and 25-19 against tournament host and 2024 NCAA Division II runners up, #23 San Francisco State.

Lead scorers for the Sunbirds were returners Makayla Smith, Cambria Waites, and Geneva Elliott as well as freshman Madelyn Feramisco. Smith went for 21 kills for the day along with four aces and 14 digs to lead the 'Birds offensively. FPU extraordinaire Waites tallied 11 kills overall and 15 digs in the match versus Cal State East Bay. None of it would have been possible without Fresno State transfer Mikayla Weiss calling the shots, delegating 65 assists for the day with eight kills on the side.

GAME 1 | Cal State East Bay

Fresno Pacific ultimately closed the out the first set with a 25-21 victory, capitalizing on Cal State East Bay's attack errors and maintaining a steady offensive momentum throughout. The Sunbirds were led by Smith, who recorded multiple kills, including four consecutive points at a pivotal moment, and capitalized on errors by the Pioneers.

In the third set, FPU secured the decisive 25-17 victory, powered by a strong performance from Weiss, who provided multiple assists and contributed to key blocks. The Sunbirds capitalized on service aces from both Waites and Feramisco, who also added a pair of kills. Elliott led the attack with three kills, including the set-clinching point, as the Sunbirds extended their lead with a mid-set 7-0 run.
 
GAME 2 | San Francisco State

Fresno Pacific took control of the first set with a 25-21 victory over last season's national championship finalists, showcasing a balanced offensive effort. Smith and Elliott each contributed crucial kills, with Smith registering a total of three, and Elliott securing the decisive point.

A key moment came at 11-6 when Smith delivered a critical kill, sparking a strong run that saw the Sunbirds amass a 19-10 advantage. FPU's consistent performance, including a service ace from Waites, culminated in a decisive 25-14 victory to close the set.

The final set concluded with a decisive kill by Waites from a Weiss assist to secure a 25-19 victory for the Sunbirds.

The Sunbirds have executed an incredible, perfect start to their season with six-straight wins overall, with two coming against 2024 NCAA West Region representatives in CCAA stalwarts Stanislaus State and San Francisco State. The start is also history in the making for Fresno Pacific, who haven't started this well since the team won the NAIA National Championship in 2010.

NEXT UP: The Sunbirds are off to Hawaii to kick off PacWest Conference play.  They begin on the big island against Hawaii-Hilo on September 18 at 10pm PT, followed by a showdown with Hawaii Pacific in Honolulu on September 20 at 9pm PT.  Both matches will be streaming live on the PacWest Network.  


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