FRESNO, Calif. — The Fresno Pacific women's soccer team kicked off its home opener on Thursday evening. The Sunbirds ultimately lost 5-0 to Cal State Monterey Bay, with the visitors scoring three goals in the first half.

Fresno Pacific's defensive efforts were tested early. Cal St. Monterey Bay established an early advantage in the first half with a goal by Jaedyn Sanders in the 14th minute, putting them ahead of Fresno Pacific. FPU goalkeeper Katelyn Gonzalez made a valiant move for the shot, but the ball lifted into the upper right corner of the cage.

Despite the Sunbirds' efforts, including several corner kicks and a couple of shot attempts, they were unable to find the back of the net. With a determined spirit, the Blue and Orange took control in other ways. Clever passing techniques and impressive footwork from the Fresno Pacific midfielders kept the Otters on their toes throughout the entire match.

At the end of the first half, Cal St. Monterey Bay led 3-0 against the home team.

In the second half of the match, the visitors extended their lead with two more goals. The Sunbirds managed several attempts, including a shot on target by Nadia Flores in the 80th minute, but Cal State Monterey Bay's goalkeeper kept the home team scoreless. The match ended with CSUMB securing the 5-0 victory.

"Tough result... Hats off to Monterey Bay for capitalizing on our mistakes," said head coach Roberto Hernandez. "Now we learn from this adversity! I am confident that our team will bounce back and showcase what we can do against Cal Poly Pomona!"

The 'Birds have a great opportunity to grow and develop with their new arsenal of talent. The home opener is only the beginning of what is yet to come.

NEXT UP: The women's soccer team hits the road for the Saturday match against Cal Poly Pomona at 4:30 pm.

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