HONOLULU – The Chaminade University women's basketball team opened the 2020 calendar year Thursday with a 90-39 loss to Pennsylvania at McCabe Gymnasium in their final non-conference game of the season.
Facing a Division I foe for just the second time in program history, the Silverswords got a game-high 15 points from
Ellyonna Bankofier (Happy Valley, Ore./Clackamas) while
Destiny Castro (Talofofo, Guam/Notre Dame HS) added 12 in the team's first game back home after the latter set the program's career scoring record on the road.
Due to illness and injury, the 'Swords were down to just six healthy and active players at game time and fell to 2-9 overall.
The Quakers, who enjoyed a 15-point New Year's Eve win at the University of Hawai'i, improved to 10-1, their best start in school history.
Kayla Padilla had a game-high 17 for the Penn which entered the game ranked No. 9 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll and the No. 4 defensive scoring team in Division I.
Chaminade surprised its Ivy League guests by opening up a 6-2 lead, thanks to a pair of Bankofier 3-pointers two minutes in. But the Quakers' 14-1 run over the next three minutes helped to create separation early. A triple by
Arianna Blowe (Monument, Colo./Lewis-Palmer) ended the run but accounted for the 'Swords' final field goal of the first quarter. All three of the 'Swords made baskets were beyond the arc.
Chaminade did not hit a two-point shot until midway through the second quarter on a layup by
Cheyenne Ardona (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani).
However Penn's collapsing zone defense combined with its size and length effectively neutralized the 'Swords inside game. Of Chaminade's 12 made field goals, nine were from 3-point territory.
The 'Swords shot just 23.1 percent from the floor while the Quakers made 55.6 while hitting 13-of-28 from long distance.
Chaminade was out-rebounded 44-29 although Ardona battled valiantly inside by pulling down a career-high 10 rebounds. Castro had four assists and three steals while
Michaella Dean (Irvine, Calif./Orange Lutheran) had half of the 'Swords eight steals with Castro swiping three. Guard
Jamia Bailey (Yokosuka, Japan/Yokota) logged a career-high 23 minutes of court time.
The Silverswords return to Pacific West Conference action Saturday when they host Biola at McCabe Gymnasium. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m.
