Box Score Fresno, Calif. – Dominican University rode a strong first half to overpower the Sunbirds by a final score of 93-82, sweeping the season series.
 
Graduate student Riley Friauf kicked off the scoring with a pair of successful free throws, preceding three straight points by senior Jordan Charlton. Freshman Alaiyah San Juan found the score sheet seconds later when she stole the ball from Fresno's Lydia Manu before notching an uncontested lay-in with graduate student Abreanna Lake and junior Brittney Cedeno both finding the scoresheet off a pair of layups soon after.
 
An 8-0 Penguins run would soon ensue before the end of the quarter, with Charlton, Cedeno, Friauf and junior Maiya Flores all collaborating to stomp their feet on the gas pedal, with Flores' points coming off the team's first 3-pointer. Fresno Pacific found the bucket last in the opening frame, but it was Dominican that took a 28-18 lead into the next quarter.
 
Charlton and Friauf traded baskets to start the ensuing stanza, recording 14 straight points for Dominican as Charlton heated up from beyond the arc. Freshman Alex Salise added to the scoring after snagging an offensive rebound before laying the ball in off the glass, giving Dominican a 44-29 lead halfway through the frame.
 
Flores found the twine another time from long range to put Dominican up by 18, preceding a mini 5-0 run for the Sunbirds. Successful San Juan charity shots halted the Sunbirds' streak, with senior Camryn Figueroa also stroking her name into the points column from the foul line. San Juan netted two more foul shots to give Dominican six straight points from the line as Dominican ended the half on a 6-0 run while taking a 55-34 advantage into the locker rooms.
 
A Cedeno layup welcomed the two foes back to the floor on Dominican's first possession of the half, but Joleen Corona connected on a hook shot and a 3-pointer for the Sun Birds soon after. Friauf free throws put points on the board for the Penguins, but Fresno Pacific marched back as it matched most Dominican baskets with two of its own.
 
An Olivia Garcia layup cut Dominican's lead to 13 midway through the third stanza before eventual Megan Sharet charity shots brought the Penguins' lead to single digits. A trio of Salise points gave Dominican a 65-53 advantage before three Figueroa free throws put Dominican up 14. Fresno Pacific mirrored Figueroa's efforts with a trio of free throws of its own, but Figueroa set the pace as she tallied six consecutive points for the Penguins to eventually set the score to 71-59 as the teams headed into the final quarter.
 
Cedeno drained a clutch 3-pointer to begin the final frame, kick starting a 7-2 Penguin run to start the quarter. Figueroa's strong second half continued as she tallied six more points, consecutively, for Dominican to put it up by 18 before Salise expanded the advantage on the team's next possession. Joleen Corona kept her team alive with a shot from distance that also set the tone for a 9-0 Sunbirds' run, slicing the deficit to 11.
 
Friauf stopped the run with a layup that preceded a successful foul shot before Cedeno also added to her points total with a layup, but another Corona 3-pointer brought the teams back within 11. Lake completed the scoring for Dominican with a pair of charity shots that were separated by a Maesyn Rix layup, but the Penguin attacked proved to be too much as Dominican scampered out of the Special Events Center with a 93-82 victory.
 
Friauf had another gargantuan game, tallying a whopping 27 points, 16 rebounds and two steals. Charlton put up another strong game as she netted 16 points while Figueroa ended the event with 14 points, four rebounds and two assists. Cedeno rounded out the double-digit Dominican scorers with 11 points, also adding seven rebounds and a game-high six assists.