HONOLULU – The Chaminade University women's basketball team made their home debut of the 2014-15 season Thursday, but found themselves on the short end of a 60-59 squeaker to Hawai'i-Hilo at McCabe Gym.
The Vulcans' Hayley Reynolds knocked down the second of two free throw attempts with two seconds left to break a 59-all deadlock. UH-Hilo improved to 2-3 on the season and is 1-0 to begin Pacific West Conference play.
The Silverswords (0-5 overall, 0-1 PacWest) were led by
Kristle Henry, who had 14 points and a career-high-tying eight rebounds. Sophomore forward
Lilia Maio, the team's leading scorer and rebounder last season, made her season debut with 13 points and seven rebounds. She sat out the team's first four games due to injury.
Glacen Florita had 12 points for the 'Swords, and in the process, moved past Jordan Ahakuelo for fifth place in the program's all-time scoring list with 456 career points.
UH-Hilo's Kirstie Williams led all scorers with 16 points. Reynolds and McKenzie Mangino had nine boards for the Vulcans, who snapped a two-game losing streak to Chaminade, which won both games last season.
The Silverswords made more field goals (22-20) than the Vulcans and out-rebounded them, 44-41. But free throws were a deciding factor as UHH went to the charity stripe 25 times, making 16, while CUH made only 14 trips with seven makes.
The Silverswords got off to a quick start, making the game's first three buckets on a 3-pointer by
Katie Buskey and two Maio baskets. Chaminade eventually built a 12-point lead at 18-6 with 8:42 left in the first half, but was held to only one field goal the rest of the way as the Vulcans took a 23-20 lead at the half.
The drought continued for the Silverswords as they were unable to produce points for the first five minutes of the second half as the Vulcans grabbed a 33-20 lead. Henry's and-1 play ended their field goal woes and also triggered a 10-0 run with triples from
Sabrina Angle and Florita and a Buskey foul shot.
The 'Swords eventually chopped the deficit down to two in the closing minutes, then with 1:07 remaining, Henry hit two free throws to tie the game at 58. Whitney Edens would convert 1-of-2 foul shots to give UH-Hilo the lead then
Kennedi Akana did the same on the Silverswords' side to knot it at 59 with 34 seconds left, setting up Reynold's heroics.
Chaminade had one final chance but Reynolds stole Akana's length-of-the-court desperation heave to help seal the contest.
The Silverswords return to action Saturday as they travel to Laie to face BYU-Hawai'i at 5 p.m.
