FRESNO, Calif. - The Fresno Pacific Sunbirds defeated the Westmont Warriors 78-62 to finish their eventful home stand. The 'Birds were fueled by a 27-point first quarter and 34 points in the paint, leaving the Warriors in a huge deficit for a large portion of the match.

Head coach Tim Beauregard mentioned, "Going into the final game of the stretch, our messaging was simple and clear: find a way to win. Really proud of our team for staying together and being unflinchingly dedicated to growth during this last tough stretch of the season. Five games in 10 days forced us to truly lean into the process—lots of film sessions, very few practices, and plenty of game reps for our young team."

Fresno Pacific opened the game with palpable energy, establishing an early 20-9 lead. Sunbird star Sienna Evans set the tone with two early 3-pointers, helping the Sunbirds to a 9-4 lead. Angela Whitfield contributed significantly with a mix of outside shooting and points in the paint, including a layup that pushed the advantage to 11-9. The 'Birds continued to build momentum with a 14-0 run, featuring key 3-pointers from Alexa Perryman and Whitfield, extending their lead to 23-9. Despite a few scoring efforts from Jessup, the Sunbirds maintained control, leading 27-16 at the end of the first quarter.

Fresno Pacific maintained their lead in the second quarter with a series of significant plays, starting with Evans sinking a 3-pointer at 9:03, assisted by Nina Wisniewski, to three free throws by Perryman, boosting FPU 33-16. The Blue and Orange capitalized on Jessup's turnovers, with Evans also contributing a fast break layup at 4:29 and the Sunbird trio of Aaliyah Seuell, Kira Wilmurt, and Trinity Tolbert sinking their shots from the line. The quarter concluded with the Sunbirds leading 44-27, outscoring Jessup 17-11 in the quarter.

The Sunbirds maintained their advantage in the third quarter. Trinity Tolbert's three-pointer at 5:56 further bolstered the home team's position. In order to solidify their lead, Evans completed a layup with 1:11 remaining and added another just before the buzzer, keeping the Warriors at a 12-point deficit.

The 'Birds maintained control in the fourth, beginning with a steal and layup by Sienna Evans at 9:33 to extend their lead. Jessup's attempts to close the gap were met with consistent responses, including a key layup and free throw by Nina Wisniewski at 3:59. Despite Jessup's efforts, the Sunbirds capitalized on their free throw opportunities late in the quarter, with Trinity Tolbert securing four points from the line, further widening the margin. The game ended with the Sunbirds winning 78-62, securing a decisive victory.

"It was great to finally feel healthy! Trinity was incredible tonight and proved to be a huge missing piece for us during this stretch. Sienna continues to show she is a special player on the court—something that comes as no surprise to those of us who get to experience who she is every day: selfless, hardworking, coachable, and a fearless pursuer of excellence. Excited to get the win tonight, and we're all hungry to keep chasing the best version of our team."

Offensively, Evans scored 24 points and recorded four steals, leading the team in both categories. Trinity Tolbert, returning to the court for FPU, added 17 points, converting 8 of 9 free throws. As one of the two seniors for FPU, Whitfield finished with 10 points and collected six rebounds. Perryman also contributed 11 points, including two 3-pointers that changed the momentum of the game.

The Sunbirds hold a 6-10 overall record and stand 3-8 in PacWest play.

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