SAN DIEGO – The Chaminade University women's basketball team completed their Southern California road trip Saturday with a 93-58 loss to Point Loma at Golden Gymnasium.
The end of their trip completed a rather arduous four-games-in-seven-days stretch including three straight game days to complete the trip. The Silverswords managed to get four of five games completed with their neutral site game against Academy of Art at CU Arena in Irvine this past Tuesday cancelled because of ART U health and safety protocols.
Arianna Blowe (Monument, Colo./Lewis-Palmer) posted one of her better all-around performances of the season with a season-high 15 points – just one off her career high – with seven rebounds. The senior forward also set a career best with four assists while tying her career high in steals (3) and blocked shots (3).
Dallas Martinez (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Whittier College/Sacred Hearts Academy) added 13 points and, like Blowe, had four assists and three steals.
Ellyonna Bankofier (Happy Valley, Ore./Clackamas) and
Sasha Phillip (Hau'ula, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Hawai'i Baptist Academy) each had seven points. Bankofier also dished out four assists, tying her career high.
Michaella Dean (Irvine, Calif./Orange Lutheran) was two rebounds shy of her fourth straight double-digit rebounding game. The senior guard who on Friday moved into third in the program's career rebounding list has 393.
Chaminade fell to 1-13 overall and 0-10 in the Pacific West Conference.
Annika Thayer led the Sea Lions (11-7, 6-5 PacWest) with a game-high 21 points.
After being outscored, 29-13, in the first quarter, the 'Swords seemed to find a rhythm, hitting seven of their 13 shots from the field and were out-pointed just 26-20 in the second quarter. Blowe helped carry Chaminade, posting 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and a block in the halftime box score.
However, in the first seven minutes of the third quarter, PLNU went on a 23-8 run to extend its lead.
The 'Swords shot 39 percent from the floor, hitting 23-of-59 shots but struggled from long range, making just 2 of 21. They committed 13 turnovers and were able to dish out 18 assists, their most since January 2017.
The Sea Lions made 47.8 percent of their shots and hit eight triples. They also did the job at the free throw line, hitting 21 of 26 from the charity stripe. Point Loma also controlled the glass with a 49-to-28 advantage and had 24 assists.
The Silverswords will get a much-needed week off before starting their final four-game home stand of the season when they host nationally-ranked Azusa Pacific on Monday, Feb. 7. The game tips off at 4:30 p.m., an hour ahead than usual to allow APU to make their return flight to the mainland later that evening.
