IRVINE, Calif. – The Chaminade University women's basketball team returned to action Thursday but fell to Concordia University Irvine, 85-51, at CU Arena.
Lile Hina Oyama (Honolulu/Kalani) led the Silverswords by setting career highs with 16 points and five assists. She also had three rebounds and blocked her first career shot.
Michaella Dean (Irvine, Calif./Orange Lutheran), coming off her first career double-double with a program-record 19 rebound performance on Monday, nearly had her second straight. Playing in her hometown for the final time in her career, the senior guard collected six points and 10 boards, the fourth double-digit rebound game in her last five games.
Arianna Blowe (Monument, Colo./Lewis-Palmer) who sat out Monday's game at Azusa Pacific with an illness which snapped her streak of 43 straight games played, returned to the lineup and posted eight points.
Dallas Martinez (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Whittier College/Sacred Hearts Academy) had six points and four assists.
Chaminade fell to 1-11 overall and 0-8 in the Pacific West Conference.
Michaela VanderKlugt had 17 points and 21 boards for the Eagles (10-6, 7-3 PacWest). The graduate center had 11 points and 15 rebounds in the first half alone.
CUI opened with a 13-2 first quarter lead and never looked back. The 'Swords did not get their second basket until there was 1:29 left in the quarter with Dean accounting for both scores. Bankofier added CUH's third field goal with a layup on its next possession. The Eagles opened the second quarter on an 11-2 run to help them take a 35-16 halftime lead.
But the 'Swords roared back with their best stretch of the game to begin the second half.
Emma Morris (Tucson, Ariz./Tanque Verde) buried a 3-pointer to start a 10-2 run, bringing them to within 37-26 with 8:14 left. Oyama hit a triple and got a driving layup during the stretch while Dean scored on a pair of layups. However the Eagles outscored the 'Swords 12-4 late in the third to re-establish a 20-point lead.
The Silverswords managed to outscore the Eagles, 25-24, in third quarter while making 10-of-15 shots from the field.
Chaminade made 32.8 percent of its shots with three triples while going 8 of 11 from the charity stripe. The 'Swords pulled down 30 boards, had 11 assists with 11 turnovers.
The Eagles pulled down 56 rebounds including 18 on the offensive end, leading to 16 second-chance points. However, the 'Swords' were able to hold CUI to a 41.7 percent shooting percentage. Concordia also went to the line 22 times, making 17.
The Silverswords are back in action Friday when they face Biola, a makeup of the Jan. 22 game that was postponed due to conference health and safety protocols. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. Pacific time.
