AZUSA, Calif. – The Chaminade University women's basketball team made a valiant first-half effort but came up short in the second half as they fell to Azusa Pacific, 83-57, Monday at the Felix Event Center.
Kristle Henry had a team-high 16 points for the Silverswords who fell to 3-16 overall and 3-12 in the Pacific West Conference.
The Cougars (11-10, 9-4 PacWest) were led by Casey Wortley's 17 points and eight rebounds.
Lilia Maio added 11 points while
Destiny Castro, who earlier in the day was named the PacWest Freshman of the Week for the fourth time this season, had eight points and eight boards. Seven of Castro's rebounds came in the first half.
Taylor Babbitt chipped in with seven points and seven rebounds.
After APU opened up a 10-point first quarter lead, the 'Swords battled back as a Maio 3-pointer, buckets from Henry and Babbitt and Castro hitting all four foul shots reduced the deficit to 18-14 at the end of the quarter.
Courtney Kaupu's 3-pointer and a pair of Henry foul shots edged Chaminade to within a point at 20-19 early in the second but APU scored the next eight points to help give them a 37-27 advantage at the break.
The Cougars outscored the Silverswords, 30-17, in the third to help put the game away.
Chaminade was held to only 18 made baskets, its lowest since making 17 in the season-opener against Central Washington. The 'Swords were also out-rebounded, 48-38, and after committing only nine turnovers at Concordia University Irvine on Saturday, they had 15 giveaways to eight assists.
Conversely, Azusa Pacific had 26 assists to only 10 turnovers.
The Silverswords face Point Loma on Thursday.
