FRESNO, Calif. — In the penultimate match of the regular season, No. 3 Fresno Pacific volleyball (24-0, 12-0 CCAA) defeated Cal State LA (10-14, 8-4 CCAA) 3-1 on Friday at the Special Events Center, closing the match behind a 15-0 run in the fourth set. Cal State LA applied pressure early by taking the first set, but the 'Birds finished with a rallying cry to remain undefeated.
The Sunbirds built an early cushion in the opening set, using an
Addisen Hamilton kill, a
Madelyn Feramisco ace and a
Rylee Pitney block to move ahead 8-4. The home side stayed in front at 15-11 after kills from Feramisco, Hamilton and
Makayla Smith, but Cal State LA scored six straight points to turn that deficit into a 17-15 lead. Hamilton's kill and a
Rachel Plantinga service ace brought the Sunbirds even at 17-17, and
Mikayla Weiss added a kill to tie the set again at 18-18. Cal State LA answered with three straight points, and after the Sunbirds pulled within 23-22 on an
Itzel Aguayo and Hamilton block, the visitors took the final two points to close the set 25-22.
Earlier in the set,
Devyn Castaneda served through a stretch that moved the Sunbirds from 8-7 to 12-7. The 'Birds answered after Cal State LA moved in front 22-21, taking four of the final five points to claim the second set 25-23.
Morgan Castaneda tied it with a kill, Pitney followed with another, and the Sunbirds converted set point on a Cal State LA service error.
In set three, Morgan Castaneda notably drilled a ball so hard that it sent a Golden Eagle to the ground, 12-10. CSULA pushed ahead but Feramisco with the solo block and Aguayo-Weiss dual blocking on the outside made it a one-point game. Jocelyn Yang brought the 'Birds back with consecutive service aces, 17-16. Tied at 20, Morgan Castaneda fought through the block for the 21st point. Saving an overpass, Mikayla Weiss won the joust at the net to make it 23-21. The two teams would make it 25-25. The 'Birds took set three thanks to Aguayo's swing and a Golden Eagle attack error, 27-25.
The Sunbirds flipped the fourth set with a 15-0 run after trailing 10-7, including 14 straight service points from Feramisco that pushed the score to 22-10. Feramisco served four aces during that stretch, while Hamilton, Aguayo and
Morgan Castaneda added kills. The Sunbirds finished the set at 25-11 on Hamilton's kill from Weiss.
Weiss finished with 34 assists, 10 kills and seven digs. Hamilton recorded 12 kills while hitting .455.
Devyn Castaneda collected 20 digs and added four assists. Feramisco served five aces and added eight digs.
NEXT UP: Fresno Pacific has one final match of the regular season to clinch the CCAA conference title in its first year! The Sunbirds will face #14 Cal Poly Pomona on Senior Day on November, 7th at 1pm. The senior day celebration kicks off at 12:30pm!
SUNBIRD SOCIAL
- X - @fpusunbirds
- Instagram - @fpusunbirds
- Facebook - @FPUsunbirds
#TeamFPU
