HONOLULU – A slow opening quarter spelt doom for the Chaminade University women's basketball team in their final game of the 2021 season.
The Silverswords were outscored by 17 in the first quarter, en-route to a 93-59 loss to the University of Hawai'i Hilo Saturday at McCabe Gymnasium.
Although the 'Swords had their highest scoring game of the year, it wasn't nearly enough as they finished the season 0-12 in the Pacific West Conference.
Emma Morris (Tuscon, Ariz./Tanque Verde) had a season-high 17 points in defeat, hitting half her 10 field goal attempts while pulling down six rebounds which tied her season-high.
Jordyn Zader (Mukwonago, Wis./Pius XI) added 10 points and made 4-of-6 shots from the free throw line, finishing the year at 81.5 percent .
Meanwhile,
Michaella Dean (Irvine, Calif./Orange Lutheran) had her best offensive performance in over a year by scoring 12 points, her first double-digit game since January 2020. He hit five of her eight tries and buried both 3-point attempts, her first career multi-triple game.
Taeya Blakeney (Honolulu/Kaiser) also got into the scoring act with a season-high eight points while
Arianna Blowe (Monument, Colo./Lewis-Palmer) had seven. Blowe also had a block to end her season with caps in five straight contests.
Kim Schmelz, a sixth-year player who missed two years because of a severe knee injury, was red-hot, tying a UH Hilo record for 3-pointers with seven with her team making 14. Schmelz finished with 29 points on the afternoon for the Vulcans who finished the year 6-6 in the PacWest.
Despite trailing 48-23 at the half, the 'Swords should lots of spirit, matching the Vulcans with 20 third-quarter points. Dean hit both of her triples in back-to-back possessions in the third.
Chaminade made just below 40 percent from the field and was out-rebounded 32 to 26 while committing 21 turnovers. However they managed to get to the free throw line 25 times, making 17.
Zader ended the season as the team's scoring champion at a 10.9 per game clip and finished 10th in the PacWest in free throw percentage. Morris average 1.8 triples per game which is tied for fourth in program history with Dean wrapping up the year as the team's leader in rebounds per game (6.1) and assists per game (2.3). Meanwhile, Blowe ended the season fourth in the conference in blocks at 1.3 per game.
This year's Silverswords has no seniors, meaning most are expected to return this coming fall.
