OAKLAND, Calif. – If there is one opponent the Chaminade University women's basketball team has enjoyed moderate success against in the brief 17-year history of the program, it's against Holy Names University.
In the 15 meetings since the series began in 2012, the Silverswords have won eight of them.
However, the two teams haven't faced each other in nearly three years with the COVID-19 pandemic wiping out competition outside the Pacific West Conference region pods in 2020-21 and their two meetings the following season of 2021-22 having been canceled due to health and safety protocols.
With the resumption of the series on Monday, the first meeting between the two since Jan. 23, 2020, it was the Silverswords who came away with the 77-68 win over the Hawks at Tobin Gymnasium.
Olivia Crigler (Hebron, Ky./Pacific Union College/Holy Cross HS) set season-highs with 24 points and eight rebounds while
Emma Morris (Tuscon, Ariz./Tanque Verde) recorded her first career double-double with 16 points and a career-tying 12 rebounds to help head coach
Michael Edwards secure his first career win.
Dallas Martinez (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Whittier College/Sacred Hearts Academy) added 16 points for the 'Swords who improved to 1-7 overall and 1-3 in the PacWest. Seven of eight Silverswords who saw court-time sank at least one field goal to snap their 26-game losing streak dating back to last November. They also broke a 46-game slide to NCAA Division II opponents, the last coming to HNU. It was also Chaminade's fourth straight win over Holy Names and hold a 9-7 all-time record in the series.
Several of the 'Swords also did things aside from putting the ball inside the basket. Martinez had five rebounds and dished out five assists which tied her career-high which she originally set while playing at Whittier College. Morris had three steals and four blocks, the latter not only a career high but the second most in team history. Crigler crashed the board with eight boards, tying the career high set established while playing at Pacific Union.
Sasha Phillip (Hau'ula, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Hawai'i Baptist) contributed with seven points with
Dezaray Carter (Honolulu/Sacred Hearts Academy) posting six points and five boards.
Jazmine Soto had 20 points for the Hawks, who fell to 1-9 and 0-3 in the PacWest.
Crigler buried a triple on the game's opening possession which proved to be a sign of events to come the rest of the evening. Holy Names would eventually take a 10-7 lead before Crigler drilled another 3-ball which gave the 'Swords a 13-10 lead which they would never relinquish. It was a part of their 10-0 run, capped by Morris, who grabbed a loose ball at the sideline, turned and launched a 30-footer which found nothing but nylon as the first quarter buzzer sounded to put Chaminade up, 17-10, at the end of the quarter.
To start the second period, Phillip hit back-to-back buckets to extend their run to 14-2, giving the 'Swords a 21-12 lead two minutes in. A Martinez free throw gave Chaminade a 26-16 lead for its first double-digit lead of the game which they maintained for a majority of the quarter. The 'Swords held a 36-26 edge at halftime, the team's first since Feb. 21, 2021 against the University of Hawai'i Hilo.
HNU would cut into the double-digit hole in the second half, drawing to within four points on four occasions in the second half. But each time, the 'Swords would counter. At the 3:57 mark of the fourth quarter after a 3-pointer by Samantha Lemay-Zambrano made it 60-56, Morris banked in a triple as the shot clock expired on the ensuing possession to push the 'Swords back to seven.
Chaminade then hit eight of its final 10 free throws to keep the Hawks at bay which also ended their 24-game road losing skid.
The Silverswords shot 41.7 percent from the floor, making 25-of-60 from the floor and were 7-of-17 from beyond the arc. They also hit 20-of-32 from the charity stripe. The Hawks were 36.5 from the floor, 7-of-24 from long range and 15-of-21 from the free throw line.
Chaminade also hammered Holy Names on the glass, out-rebounding them 41-to-30. While they made 22 turnovers, the 'Swords forced 21 with 13 steals, three each by Morris, Crigler and
Lile Hina Oyama (Honolulu/Kalani), and recycled those giveaways into 18 points.
The Silverswords will wrap up their first mainland trip Wednesday at Dominican University of California. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Hawai'i time.
