Box Score AZUSA, Calif. - Despite battling back from an 0-2 deficit, Azusa Pacific couldn't complete the comeback as Fresno Pacific recorded a 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 34-36, 20-25, 15-4) victory on Saturday afternoon.
The marathon PacWest match was nearly over in straight sets but a resilient Cougars squad battled their way back into the match before falling.
After Fresno Pacific (6-6, 1-2) won the first two sets by identical 25-22 scores, an epic third set awaited both teams. The Sunbirds were just nine points from a three-set win as they held a 16-11 lead but Azusa Pacific didn't go quietly. Slowly but surely the Cougars chipped away before taking a 21-20 lead. The excitement and tension was at peak levels the rest of the set.
Azusa Pacific (4-6, 1-1) fought off six match points before finally winning the third set on their sixth set point. It was the highest point total in one set for the Cougars since the collegiate game moved to 25-point rally scoring in 2008. The third set took nearly 45 minutes to complete. It featured eight lead changes and 16 ties.
Rolling with the momentum they created with the thrilling third set win, the Cougars never trailed in the fourth frame in forcing a deciding fifth set.
A regrouped Fresno Pacific squad put a chokehold on the fifth set early and never relented. The Sunbirds forced Azusa Pacific into early timeouts as they took a 9-1 lead. The home team couldn't recover as Fresno Pacific came away with the win in the deciding stanza.
Mattie Shelford had team high 16 kills while chipping in a block solo and four block assists. Joy Reinke had 10 kills. Jaden Louie posted her second double-double of the season by dishing out 33 assists and digging up 10 balls.
Azusa Pacific set a season high with 15 total team blocks. Ashley Midland had a team best seven block assists while Crystal Dedes added a five-block assist effort.
Fresno Pacific's offense was led by Kathleen Anderson's 17-kill afternoon. Gabriella Macedo (14) and Rupia Inch (12) also had double figure kill performances. Sarah McCann directed the offense with a 52-assist effort.
GAME NOTES
Fresno Pacific ended the Cougars two match and six set winning streak in their head-to-head meetings … Shelford has led the team in kills four times this season … In 2011 the Cougars had 35-33 set against Westmont
