ATHERTON, Calif. — Despite a thrilling third quarter revival for the Sunbirds, Fresno Pacific women's basketball fell to Menlo College, 80-59, at Haynes-Prim Pavilion.

The game commenced with Fresno Pacific struggling to find the basket early on as Menlo established a quick lead. Angela Whitfield connected on a three-pointer at 8:27, providing some momentum for the Sunbirds. Despite this, Menlo's strong play in the paint helped extend their advantage. Sienna Evans added a layup and a three-pointer, narrowing the gap to 12-10 with 2:16 remaining. However, Menlo responded with a series of fast-break points and closed the quarter with a tip-in at the buzzer. The Oaks led 20-10 at the end of the first quarter.

FPU struggled to find momentum in the second quarter. Whitfield, Evans, and Trinity Tolbert were the sole Sunbird scorers in the first half, but Alexa Perryman got her first point on the board in the third with a free throw and layup just before the clock ran out. The 'Birds trailed behind Menlo 19-35.

The Sunbirds mounted a determined effort in the third quarter, highlighted by a 3-pointer from Evans with just one second remaining, cutting the deficit to 57-45. Whitfield fueled the offense with a stretch that included a 3-pointer at 5:13 and a layup at 4:38, keeping the visitors competitive. 

Fresno Pacific opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer by Evans at 9:19, assisted by Nina Wisniewski, narrowing the gap to 57–48. Despite efforts to close the lead, the 'Birds struggled with turnovers and defensive rebounds throughout the quarter. The Oaks capitalized on these opportunities, extending their advantage with a series of successful field goals, eventually pulling ahead 78–56 with less than a minute remaining. The Sunbirds' Perryman hit a late 3-pointer to conclude their scoring, but the game ultimately ended 59-80.

Offensively, Evans, Whitfield, and Tolbert sparked the offense in the third quarter, rallying the team to outscore the Oaks with 26 points. Freshman extraordinaire Evans led the team with 22 points, converting 7 of 17 field goal attempts, including three 3-pointers. Whitfield contributed 15 points and narrowly missed a double-double with nine rebounds. The Fresno senior is ranked third in rebounding, averaging 8.6 rebounds per game. Trinity Tolbert added seven points and recorded a season-high five assists, demonstrating effective ball distribution. Perryman posted 10 points, hitting two 3-pointers and making four of eight free throws.

The Sunbirds hold a record of 6-11 overall and 3-9 in PacWest play.

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