HONOLULU – Back on the floor in over a week after their first-ever season-opening win, the Chaminade University women's basketball team was looking to carry over the momentum Wednesday.
However a drought spanning the third and fourth quarters resulted in the Silverswords taking a 56-32 loss to Minnesota Crookston in the Malika Sports O'ahu Thanksgiving Classic at Hawai'i Pacific University's Shark Tank.
Freshman
Mary-Lee Mitchell (Staten Island, NY/Curtis) led the 'Swords with nine points and eight rebounds while
Sasha Phillip (Hau'ula, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Hawai'i Baptist Academy) added seven points.
The Golden Eagles improved to 1-4 on the year and were led on the scoreboard by Bren Fox's 17 points and 14 rebounds.
The first two quarters were played relatively evenly although Minnesota Crookston led by as many as seven which came early in the second quarter. Scores by
Jordyn Zader (Mukwonago, Wis./Pius XI),
Ellyonna Bankofier (Happy Valley, Ore./Clackamas),
Arianna Blowe (Monument, Colo./Lewis-Palmer) and Mitchell cut the deficit to 18-16. Chaminade trailed 25-21 at halftime.
UMC built its lead to eight midway through the third quarter but Mitchell's three-point play's brought the 'Swords to 31-26 with 4:36 left in frame.
But the next six minutes saw Chaminade go scoreless while the Golden Eagles scored 11 straight to grab a 42-26 lead. Mitchell hit a pair of free throws to end the 'Swords' drought at the 8:13 mark of the fourth then Phillip drained a 3-pointer on their next possession as they looked to further reduce their deficit.
However it would also be their final field goal of the game as UMC pulled away.
The 'Swords were held to 11-of-62 field goal shooting and were out-rebounded 59-to-39.. But on the plus side, they held the Golden Eagles to just 32.3 percent from the floor including just 1-of-20 from beyond the arc.
The Silverswords face Walsh University (Ohio) on Thursday in the Malika Sports O'ahu Thanksgiving Classic. Tipoff at The Shark Tank is set for noon.
