WHITTIER, Calif. –  Fresno Pacific traveled down to SoCal for a full weekend of play, stopping first at Whittier College for a thrilling evening match. The Sunbirds met resistance early on, and ultimately, fell to the Whittier Poets 9-11.

Fresno Pacific initiated the scoring in the first period with Blake Johnson finding the net, followed by a late goal from Jordan Lambert to take a 2-0 lead. Whittier quickly responded, closing the first period 2-1.

The second period saw Whittier break ahead, but Forrest Gray's first goal reclaimed the lead for the Sunbirds, only for one of the Poets to tie it again.
The third period featured a back-and-forth exchange, with Whittier's Zander Montoya and Noah Bigara scoring, while Sunbird attackers Christian Clark and Christiano Sandino kept the game competitive, slowing down the Poets' drive.

In a tense fourth, both teams traded goals with notable contributions, but the Whittier Poets maintained their lead until the game ended in their favor. Whittier outshot the Sunbirds 26 to 27, with neither team scoring from penalty shots.

Three Sunbirds tallied double for the day - Blake Johnson who made the most of his opportunities, senior Christian Clark, and sophomore utility Christiano Sandino.

In goal, Chase Hammes recorded eight saves and added a steal, anchoring the defensive effort for the Sunbirds.

NEXT UP: The Sunbirds stick around in SoCal for the Titan Invite hosted by CSU Fullerton. The Saturday tournament will showcase the 'Birds versus Cal State Fullerton at 9 am and Cal Lutheran at 12 pm.

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