FRESNO, Calif. – A quick start by Fresno Pacific would produce all the offense the Sunbirds would need against Academy of Art women's soccer, walking away victorious 2-0 after scoring a pair of goals in the first eight minutes in Pacific West Conference action on Tuesday.

The Sunbirds (4-1-0, 3-1-0 PacWest) came out firing against the Urban Knights (1-3-0, 1-3-0 PacWest), launching four shots in the first eight minutes that turned into a pair of goals from FPU forward Nayeli Lara. The first tally came in the third minute when she sent a ball into the lower right corner off of a pass from Jet Hardy, followed by her second goal in the eighth minute when the ball trickled into the net. ART U senior goalkeeper Lara Pflicke made an excellent effort to keep the score close, making five saves against a total of 11 first-half shots and allowing her team a chance to generate offense.

There was a solid pair of scoring chances for the Urban Knights midway through the first half, as senior forward Sydney Cooke drilled the crossbar off of a free kick in the 30th minute before a goal was waved off two minutes later for an ART U offsides. The Urban Knights would continue to generate offense in the second half by registering six shots, but would be kept off the board by FPU goalkeeper Chiara Soergel with four saves in her fourth shutout this season. Sophomore goalkeeper Nicole Peoples would come on in the second half for Pflicke, making five saves in a clean appearance. 

Cooke and freshman midfielder Zineb Ighirri led the way for the Urban Knights in shots with three apiece, while junior forward Brooklyn Morera produced a pair of shots with one on goal. Ten different Sunbirds launched shots at ART U keepers, with Lara's two goals on six shots leading the way. 

ART U will look to rebound when they return to the pitch on Sunday, Feb. 21 at 1 p.m. to they take on Dominican.