HONOLULU – The Chaminade University women's basketball on Friday opened their regular season with a 65-63 defeat to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University at McCabe Gymnasium.
Sameera Elmasri (Shawnee, Kan./Birmingham-Southern Univ./Saint Thomas Aquinas HS) went off for a game-high 23 points – one shy from the career-high she set at Birmingham-Southern College in Nov. 2022 – while adding five steals and three rebounds for the Silverswords (0-1) in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
The 'Swords' two freshmen posts,
Kali Jones (Hyrum, Utah/Mountain Crest) and
Maddy Weaver (Puyallup, Wash./Puyallup), had eight points each, going a combined 8-of-9 from the floor.
Morgan Escobedo (Scottsdale, Ariz./Pinnacle) added seven points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals for Chaminade.
Zakiirah King had 12 points for the Eagles, who improved to 2-1 on the season.
The 'Swords were a sizzling 10-of-15 from the floor after the first quarter, holding on to a 26-17 lead with Elmasri accounting for nine of their points. Although they couldn't replicate their success in the second quarter, shooting 6-of-15, their defense held ERAU to just 3-of-14 from the floor, which helped give them a 38-26 halftime lead.
CUH would build its lead to as many as 14 early in the third quarter but went ice-cold midway through. The Arizona-based team used a 12-0 run during a six-minute stretch spanning the third and fourth periods to take a 49-46 lead.
Amaya Washington (Peoria, Ariz./Dream City Christian) ended the drought with a layup at the 7:51 mark of the fourth quarter
Escobedo's 3-pointer with 5:34 gave the 'Swords a 55-54 edge but Micaela Hidalgo answered on the next Eagles possession with a bucket to take the lead for good.
Chaminade shot 42.4 percent for the game with four triples and was 9-for-15 at the free throw line. They grabbed 31 rebounds, had 18 assists and 14 steals while forcing 27 turovers.
Embry-Riddle was 43.1 percent from the field with four 3-pointers, was 11-of-20 from the charity stripe, had 41 rebounds, six assists and 10 steals.
The 'Swords and Eagles will wrap up their two-game series Sunday at 2 p.m.
