SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — Fresno Pacific women's basketball wrapped up their the season in the conference finale against Dominican on Saturday afternoon. The 'Birds were close in the tightly contested matchup that featured nine ties and eight lead changes, but ultimately ended lost 69-73 to the Penguins. It was a bittersweet end for the Sunbirds as they finished the season 9-18 overall and 6-16 in the PacWest.

"Credit to Dominican. That's a postseason caliber team," stated head coach Tim Beauregard. "We battled them possession for possession and played them tight until the end. That's growth. That's progress. That's proof of who we're becoming."

Fresno Pacific opened the first quarter with an assertive display, taking a brief lead midway through the quarter with Mason Long's 3-pointer at 5:44, which brought the score to 8-6. Despite their efforts, including notable contributions from Sienna Evans, who scored in the paint, the Sunbirds faced a challenge as Dominican capitalized on fast breaks and effective scoring in the paint. The quarter concluded with FPU trailing 21-15.

The 'Birds sparked a rally in the second with a key 3-pointer by Trinity Tolbert at 5:11, narrowing the deficit to single digits. Evans further energized the Sunbirds by converting a fast-break 3-pointer at 1:58, closing the gap to 33–30. Despite their efforts to tie the score at 33 with just over a minute remaining, Dominican edged ahead, finishing the quarter with a 37–34 lead.

"I'm proud of this group. Proud of our freshmen and young players for the growth they showed, even when it was hard. Proud of Angela and Aaliyah for leading with care and consistency. Proud of the culture we continue to protect."

The Sunbirds seized momentum early in the third quarter with Evans hitting a jumper just nine seconds into play. A significant moment came when Evans connected on a fast-break 3-pointer at 7:09, tying the score at 41-41. Angela Whitfield then gave the Sunbirds a temporary lead with a layup at 6:24. Despite facing pressure, Fresno Pacific managed to stay competitive, with Whitfield hitting a crucial 3-pointer at 1:29 to tie the game again at 50-50. However, Dominican edged out with a late layup, and the Sunbirds trailed 52-51 at the end of the quarter.

The fourth kicked off with Whitfield's three-pointer at 8:37, sparking a brief lead for the 'Birds. Aaliyah Seuall contributed with yet another three-pointer at 7:59, pushing the Sunbirds ahead 59-56. Dominican responded quickly, tying the game multiple times and eventually overtaking Fresno Pacific with a layup at 2:36 to make it 67-66. Despite a late layup by Evans, the Sunbirds could not reclaim the lead. Dominican's free throws in the closing seconds secured its position. The game concluded with a final score of 73-69 in the Penguins favor.

"We did fall short of our yearly expectations. That's real. But now this young group knows exactly what it takes. They've felt it. They must now set their own standard with an offseason of commitment and growth. I believe they will. That's why we bet on people over players. We recruit character. We recruit work ethic. We recruit growth. And I believe this group will attack the offseason with intention."

Freshman Evans scored 18 points, making 8 of 14 field goals. She tallied 16 double-digit point scoring games over the course of the season, aveaging 24.1 minutes a game. In the PacWest, Evans is eighth in scoring, trailing behind only one other freshman. Whitfield recorded her third double-double of the season with 14 rebounds and 11 points, while also adding six blocks and five assists. In the PacWest, she was third in rebounding and sixth in blocked shots. She led the team in rebounds all season long. Long contributed nine points, hitting three 3-pointers and collecting two steals. Nina Wisniewski added nine points and tallied three steals alongside four assists.

The Sunbirds wrapped up the season with a record of 9-18 overall and 6-16 in PacWest play. An unforgettable moment for the 'Birds was the upset at Point Loma, where the team ended the Sea Lions undefeated home win streak. Although FPU women's basketball did not make postseason play, the team has much to look forward to in seasons to come.

"As we move toward the CCAA, our expectation isn't to ease in. It's to be a factor immediately. That only happens because of the foundation being laid right now. And I trust this group to go earn it."

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