HONOLULU – The Chaminade University women's basketball team on Sunday opened Pacific West Conference action with a 64-47 win over interisland rival University of Hawai'i Hilo at McCabe Gymnasium.
It is not only the first time since the 2015-16 season the Silverswords won their conference opener but also snapped a 14-game losing streak to the Vulcans.
Sameera Elmasri (Shawnee, Kan./Birmingham-Southern Univ./Saint Thomas Aquinas HS) came off the bench and tallied team-highs of 22 points and eight rebounds to help the 'Swords get their first win over UH Hilo since March 2019.
Morgan Escobedo (Scottsdale, Ariz./Pinnacle) added 10 points, seven boards and a couple of assists with
Kali Jones (Hyrum, Utah/Mountain Crest) tacking on 11 points and six rebounds.
The Silverswords limited the Vulcans to just 28.8 percent shooting and just one 3-pointer, tying the second-lowest scoring output by a CUH opponent which came against UH Hilo on Dec. 10, 2015. The 17-point margin of victory also tied for the second highest since a 74-57 win over the Vulcans in February 2014.
KeanuMarie Huihui had 13 points for an undermanned UH Hilo squad that was down to just eight players. The Vulcans fell to 1-4 and 0-2 in the PacWest.
Keirstyn Agonias' basket on the game's opening possession gave UH Hilo its first lead but it proved to be short-lived as
Julien Parado (Ewa Beach, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Campbell) hit a corner 3 on Chaminade's first possession. Buckets from Escobedo,
Alyssa Schuetze (Temecula, Calif./Great Oak), Jones and Elmasri helped give the 'Swords a 13-4 edge over six minutes into the opening quarter.
The Vulcans rallied and took a 22-21 lead in the second quarter before Elmasri and
Ashley Holen (Watford City, N.D./Minot State University/Watford City HS) combined for all Chaminade's points during its half-ending 9-1 run to help give them a 29-22 halftime lead.
The 'Swords' momentum carried into the third quarter, scoring seven of the game's next nine points to give them a 36-24 lead. The Silverswords did not give up a bucket during a three-minute stretch to help them take their largest lead at 43-26. After a layup from Caiyle Kaupu – sister of former Silversword guard Courtney Kaupu – reducing CUH's lead to single digits to nine with a minute left in the period, Jones hit a 10-foot jumper as time expired in the third to expand Chaminade's lead to 47-36.
The Vulcan managed to again whittle the deficit down to nine early in the fourth quarter but the 'Swords managed to hold UH Hilo to just two baskets during a six-minute span in the fourth to notch their second win of the season.
Chaminade shot 31.3 percent from the field with four 3-pointers and was 18-of-25 from the free throw line. They out-rebounded the Vulcans, 46-to-35 and committed just nine turnovers while their bench out-pointed the visitors, 41-7. UH Hilo hit just 16-of-30 from the charity stripe.
The Silverswords will face Douglas College of Canada in an exhibition on Thursday. Tipoff at McCabe Gym is at 5:30 p.m.
