FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno Pacific women's tennis team opened the spring season with an exhibition dual against Division I Fresno State on Thursday afternoon at the Fig Garden Swim & Racquet Club. While the Bulldogs claimed the 0–7 team victory, the Sunbirds delivered several standout performances in both doubles and singles play, including multiple wins and tightly contested finishes.

"My goal going into this matchup against a tough Fresno State team was to show competitive spirit and grit throughout the match," said head coach Sam Gaeddert. "It's an exhibition for us and I wanted the matchplay experience to play out. Our team knocked it out of the park, from top to bottom of the lineup. I think our win at #1 doubles and our three third set losses in singles show that we will be a very difficult matchup for any opponent this spring. I'm excited to keep building with this team."

Fresno Pacific found early success in doubles, as the No. 1 pairing of Fabiana Gonzalez and Yume Ueoku earned a strong 6–4 victory over Gianna Mastro and Paulina Montiel. In singles play, Gonzalez, Ueoku, and Malia Mitchell demonstrated grit and composure, taking the match into 10-point tiebreakers. Several other Sunbirds pushed their matches deep, with Halle Faherty, Margarita Munoz, and Jasmine Palomera competing against experienced Fresno State opponents in straight-set contests. Four of the six singles went to the third set for the Sunbirds. Despite the final score, Fresno Pacific showed resilience throughout the lineup and gained valuable early-season experience against a strong Division I program.

NEXT UP: The 'Birds take on Menlo College on Saturday, Feb. 7 at 11 am.

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