MERCED, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's water polo team remained within striking distance throughout the match but fell 15-11 to Fresno Pacific University in the season finale on Friday night at the Aquatics Center.

The Bobcats finish the season with a 5-23 overall record. UC Merced will travel to Morgantown, W. Va., to play four exhibition games in the WWPA Championships April 25-27.

Freshman Kiryn Wicker had a strong finale with four goals. It marked her eleventh match of the year recording a hat trick or better.

Melanie Torres tallied her first hat trick of the season to go along with three assists. Grace Tademy scored twice and added three assists, while Claudette Asenjo deposited two shots into the back of the net.

Tademy's multi-goal game was the first of her career. Asenjo concludes the year with at least one goal in 20 consecutive matches and a team-high 64 goals in total.

Despite the loss, the Bobcats eleven goals marked the most in six all-time meetings against the Sunbirds.

FPU's Tatum Benson led all players with six goals on Friday night.

The Sunbirds best quarter was the opening frame and it ended up being the difference maker on the night as FPU outscored the Bobcats 5-2. FPU jumped out to a 4-1 lead with the Bobcats lone early goal coming from Asenjo. Torres made it 4-2, but FPU got the goal back at the buzzer to take the 5-2 lead into the second period.

Wicker scored the first goal of the second quarter while Torres followed on the next possession to bring the Bobcats within a goal, 5-4. However, FPU stopped the Bobcats momentum there and responded with a four-goal scoring run, including converting a pair of penalty shots. Wicker managed to score in the final minute of the first half as the Bobcats trailed 9-5 at intermission.

FPU opened the scoring in the third quarter with another successful penalty shot. UC Merced followed with three unanswered goals over the next three minutes to get back in the game, trailing 10-8. Wicker, Tademy, and Torres combined for the 3-0 UC Merced run. But, FPU matched the Bobcats run with two goals towards the end of the third quarter and a goal immediately to start the fourth quarter to regain the five-goal lead at 13-8.

UC Merced went goal-for-goal with FPU the rest of the match but couldn't get any closer than four goals and dropped the match 15-11.

Amelie Ramirez made four saves and recorded one steal.

Breyenne Pierce recorded three assists.

UC Merced Goal Scorers: Wicker (4), Torres (3), Asenjo (2), Tademy (2)

Up next, UC Merced will head east to play exhibition matches at the WWPA Championships April 25-27 at Peak Health Aquatic Center at Mylan Park in Morgantown, W. Va.