HONOLULU – The Chaminade University women's basketball team opened the Pacific West Conference season with a 58-53 loss to Hawai'i Hilo Wednesday at McCabe Gym.
Kristle Henry had a team-high 11 points for the Silverswords while
Courtney Kaupu added 10 as they fell to 0-3 and 0-1 in the conference.
Henry also had three steals to move her past
Shana Kawakami in both career scoring and steals categories. Henry became the program's third all-time leading scorer with 649 points and second in steals with 131. The senior from Lihue, Kaua'i also had five assists.
Destiny Castro led the 'Swords with six rebounds while she also dropped four dimes.
UH Hilo's Asia Smith had 13 points to lead the Vulcans to their first win of the year at 1-2 and 1-0 in the PacWest.
Chaminade's
Lilia Maio had nine points to give the program's No. 2 all-time scorer with 975 in her career.
After a back-and-fourth first quarter, UHH out-scored Chaminade 11-2 in the final minutes of the second to capture a 29-22 halftime lead.
The Vulcans expanded their lead to as many as 12 with three minutes left in the game but a
Carissa Webb jumper followed by triples from Henry and Kaupu cut the deficit to just 57-53 with 39 seconds left but it was as close as the 'Swords came.
Chaminade shot 36.4 percent from the floor but managed to knock down seven of its 15 3-point tries with Webb hitting twice. Despite being out-boarded 36-29 the 'Swords forced 21 Vulcan giveaways and had 14 assists.
The Silverswords will face Notre Dame de Namur Friday at McCabe Gym. Tip is set for 5 p.m. with live audio coverage on GoSwords.com.
