Sunbirds win 3-1 after dropping first set to No. 5 Azusa Pacific
FRESNO, Calif. – Fresno Pacific (28-0, 17-0) had a scare after the first set where Azusa Pacific (20-8, 11-5 GSAC) came out hitting red out. Despite Azusa’s nearly perfect play, the Sunbirds stuck around to pull out the second set to build their momentum for their 22-25, 28-26, 25-14, 25-23 victory.
Azusa Pacific showed why they are the No. 5 team in the nation as they played the Sunbirds tight the entire match. Azusa came out firing hitting .483 in the first set with 15 kills and only one error. The Sunbirds hit a respectable .325 but still fell 22-25.
For one of the first times this season, the Sunbirds never had control during the first two sets until they led 24-23 in the second for set-point, but it still took the Sunbirds four set-points to close out the set and tie the match at 1-1. The Sunbirds outhit Azusa 36 to 27 but had 17 errors to Azusa’s 5 after two sets, but the Sunbirds gained momentum after stealing the second set.
Keke Wang kept the Sunbirds in the match with her 7 kills in the first set and 12 through the second set. Wang finished the night with 18 kills and an impressive .571 hitting percentage with only 2 errors.
Martina Gregusova and
Michelle Johnson also had double-digit kills with 16 and 15, respectively.
In the third set, the Sunbirds began to roll as the shutdown Azusa. Fresno Pacific held Azusa to four kills in the third set with a negative hitting percentage.
In both the two final sets, the Sunbirds controlled play opening up 8-3 leads in both sets and extending them to a 10 point lead in the third set and a 7 point lead in the fourth. However, Azusa gave Fresno Pacific a scare in the fourth with a 7-1 run to pull within one point, but the Sunbirds finished up the match pulling out a 25-23 win in the final set.
Coach Dennis Janzen commented, “It’s always great to get a win. Azusa came out ready to go, and fortunately we had people step up at important times.”
Emily Carroll and Erika Adachi split assists with 25 and 24, respectively, while
Mariah Mandelbaum led with 16 digs and
Lauren Albertson led with 5 blocks.
The Sunbirds have performed well in this difficult week going 2-0 against top-five teams so far, but the Sunbirds will have their most difficult challenge on Saturday, November 7 as they take on No. 2 Cal Baptist on the road. In their previous meeting in Fresno, the Lancers pushed the Sunbirds to a fifth set, but the Sunbirds came out victorious. The Sunbirds will be fired up for the first set at 3 p.m. in Riverside.