Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Sunbirds sweep #22 Biola 30-21, 30-20, 30-20

Box score

Fresno - The Sunbirds needed only 75 minutes to sweep No. 22 Biola 30-21, 30-20, 30-20 in a Golden State Athletic Conference match in the Special Events Center.

The Sunbirds dominated throughout the match. They allowed the Eagles only the briefest of leads (1-0 and 2-0 in Game 2 and 1-0 in Game 3) while dominating both sides of the net.

FPU hit .385 for the match while holding the Eagles to .120. On the defensive side of the net the Sunbirds out-blocked the Eagles 11-2.

The Sunbirds were led by middle blockers Marin Shilling and Lorena Zuleta. Shilling lead FPU with 16 kills while hitting at a .556 clip. Zuleta added kills while hitting .600. Both players had three block assists.

Lira Xavier and Brittany Pierce chipped in with eight kills a piece. Setter Shu Liu sparkled with 52 assists, five kills (.556 attack percentage), eight digs and four block assists as well as a service ace.

"We dominated both sides of the net with our middles," said FPU head coach Dennis Janzen. "Sam (Samantha Weatherly) passed nails tonight and that allowed us to spread it around. Shu (Liu) did a great job of balancing our attack in the first two games before we started substituting. She had a great match."

All-America Hannah Timboe led the Eagles (12-7, 5-6) with 13 kills and hit .303 for the match.

The win pushes FPU's record to 20-0 overall and 10-0 at the half-way point of GSAC play.

Tonight's game was the first in a four-game home stand. The Sunbirds host The Master's College Mustangs on Thursday, Vanguard on Saturday and Hope International next Tuesday. All three matches begin at 7:00 p.m.

Livestats - Volleyball from the Special Events Center

Live Audio webcast from the Special Events Center
Robert Langpaap has the call beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Radio
This match will be broadcast by KXEX Sporting News Radio AM 1550. Robert Langpaap has the call.

Updated Records
Biola: 12-7, 5-6 GSAC (NAIA #22)
Fresno Pacific: 20-0, 10-0 GSAC (NAIA #1)

Updated Series Record
FPU leads the all-time series with the Eagles 34-22... The Sunbirds have won the last 13 contests.

Fresno Pacific University offers undergraduate and graduate programs that stress solid academic preparation and a strong ethical foundation. Each year more than 2,000 traditional and adult students attend classes on the 42-acre main campus in southeast Fresno or centers in Visalia and Bakersfield. The university also reaches 12,000 students across the nation and around the world through professional development studies programs. The only four-year Christian university in the Central Valley, FPU is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and ranked in the top quarter among Western universities master's category by U.S. News & World Report.