Hald-mark Moment

Thursday, October 27

Riverside, Calif.

3:00 PM

California Baptist University

8-4-3, 7-1-2PWC

Fresno Pacific

7-6-1, 5-4-1PWC

Fresno Pacific

California Baptist

Photo by: Jacob Gonzalez

10/27/2016 6:41:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: Sammi Wellman, Director of Sports Information

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Heading into the final few games of the regular season, California Baptist University kept its momentum and grabbed a 2-1 victory over Fresno Pacific Thursday afternoon.

The Lancers improve to 8-4-3, 7-1-2 in the PacWest, with their fifth-straight victory. CBU currently sits in third in the conference standings, two points behind Point Loma, which lost to Chaminade Thursday. The Sunbirds fall to 7-6-1, 5-4-1.

"I thought we started well, we were dominant," said Coach Kristen St. Clair. "We talk about being sharp for 90 minutes and try to focus on our execution and performance. We're peaking at the right time, just trying to get sharper every day."

CBU got the ball rolling early with a shot in just the second minute of action, but Desarae Felix missed just wide.

Nine minutes later, the Lancers found the back of the net. Jordan Dow won a solid tackle just inside Sunbird territory and took it down the line to get a cross off. Miranda Hald made her run and beat a defender to the ball to finish it past the goalkeeper for her first collegiate goal.

"Miranda has been playing better each and every game," said St. Clair. "It was a great hustle play. She actually received it from her roommate, Jordan. She earned it and put us in a good spot."

Audrianna DeGraw hoped to give CBU some insurance in the 24^th minute, but a FPU defender blocked it off the line to keep the score at 1-0, still in favor of the home team.

Trailing 1-0 in the final 10 minutes of the game, the Sunbirds started to turn on the pressure.

CBU deflated FPU's momentum momentarily in the 85^th minute, however, as Justene Kesterson scored off her own rebound. The senior forward – who has now scored five goals in the past seven games, including three in a row – fired off a shot that a Sunbird got in front of, but tucked away the deflection to put the Lancers in front 2-0.

"I think it shows the quality of our strikers," said St. Clair. "We have a number of strikers who can break down teams. Justene is playing really well. She and Miranda are strong target forward players that can score for us."

The Sunbirds responded less than a minute later to cut CBU's lead in half, 2-1. FPU tried to sneak in another before time expired, but the Lancers wouldn't allow that to secure the 2-1 victory.

CBU hosts Holy Names on Saturday at 2:30 p.m., honoring six seniors before kickoff: Casey Kute, Justene Kesterson, Angelique Carrillo, Chaylin Couzens, Isalei Tauaese and Audrianna DeGraw.