HILO, Hawai'i – The Chaminade University women's basketball team was back in action Saturday, closing out the calendar year with an interisland matchup against Pacific West Conference rival, the University of Hawai'i Hilo.
The Silverswords, whose last game was on Dec. 17, were unable to close 2022 on a high note, dropping an 86-45 decision to the Vulcans at the Afook-Chinen Auditorium.
Dezaray Carter (Honolulu/Sacred Hearts Academy) and
Emma Morris (Tuscon, Ariz./Tanque Verde) each led Chaminade (1-10, 1-5 PacWest) with nine points, followed by
Lile Hina Oyama (Honolulu/Kalani) who had a season-high seven and with three assists.
Olivia Crigler (Hebron, Ky./Pacific Union College/Holy Cross HS) and
Paige Relph (Las Vegas/Waianae, Hawai'i) chipped in with five points each.
Carter pulled down a team-best six rebounds with Morris and Crigler each adding five.
Kamalu Kamakawiwaole, who grew up a few miles away from Chaminade's campus in Kaimuki, paced UH Hilo (5-5, 2-2 PacWest) with 18 points.
The 'Swords found themselves in an early hole, trailing 24-5 late in the first quarter. However, they managed to outscore the Vulcans, 16-14, in the second with Crigler accounting for five of Chaminade's points while Carter and Oyama tacked on four each. The period helped them trail 38-23 at halftime.
But UH Hilo's 16-0 run spanning the third and fourth quarters quelled all hope for a Silverswords' comeback.
UH Hilo's win assured them of a second-place finish in the women's basketball round of the PacWest Hawai'i Challenge with four points. Hawai'i Pacific University has already clinched the first-place points with six.
Chaminade, which has dropped 12 straight meetings against UH Hilo, shot 25.8 percent from the field with 31 rebounds and seven assists. Morris had three of the team's four 3-pointers on the afternoon. The Vulcans were 50.7 percent from the floor, had 53 boards and 24 assists.
The Silverswords are back in action Monday at McCabe Gymnasium as they open a seven-game home stand against Champion Christian, their final non-conference game of the season. Tipoff is at 1 p.m.
