HONOLULU – Defending PacWest Conference Champion Hawai'i Pacific University made it two straight to start the league year as HPU rolled through Fresno Pacific 88-66 on Saturday afternoon at Moanalua High Gym.
 
The Sharks (3-4, 2-0) swapped the lead with the feisty Sunbirds (5-2, 1-1) before getting a 13-0 run in the second quarter to take control of the contest.
 
"Fresno Pacific is a much improved team and we had to work hard early," said HPU coach Reid Takatsuka. "We shot the ball well, especially in the second half, and we were able to dictate the action."
 
Senior Samantha Lambrigtsen of Oregon, Ill./Oregon HS led the Sharks with a career-high 23 points to go with eight rebounds and a steal, while freshman Amy Baum of Melbourne, Australia/Rowville Secondary added 19 points with a game-high eight assists and six boards. Sophomore Alysha Marcucci of Melbourne, Australia/Marist-Sion notched her first career double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds to go with two steals. Junior Starr Rivera of Honolulu/Roosevelt picked up 16 points with three assists and two steals.
 
The Sunbirds were paced by the play of sophomore Jessica Malazarte and junior Cassie Pisik who each scored 16 points. Pisik led FPU with eight rebounds, while Malazarte had four 3-point field goals before going down with an injury in the fourth quarter. Senior Bree Alvarez collected 13 points, while junior Ashley Cross posted seven points and six boards with four steals.
 
HPU connected on 52 percent of its shots from the floor (31-of-60), and 37 percent (7-of-19) from the 3-point arc. The Shark hit 86 percent from the free throw line (19-of-22) as well. FPU shot 31 percent from the field (20-of-64), including 6-of 26 (23 percent) from the arc. The Sunbirds went 20-of-31 (65 percent) from the foul line.
 
HPU dominated FPU on the glass with a 45-35 advantage. A down note was HPU's 24 turnovers, the most in two seasons. FPU suffered 17 turnovers. Still the Sharks held a 22-15 advantage in points off turnovers.
 
The Sharks fell behind early after Malazarte hit a 3-pointer to open the game for FPU. HPU answered with a 7-2 run capped by three free throws from Rivera to take the lead a 7-5 and the teams exchanged the lead eight more times with seven ties through the contest. Marcucci gave the Sharks the lead at 19-17 with a pair of free throws with 0.3 seconds left in the opening quarter.
 
The lead swapped for the final times in the second quarter when Lambrigtsen used a 3-pointer start a 10-0 run that put the Sharks in front to stay. Marcucci made it a 10-point lead with 1:16 to go in the half on a layup-free throw 3-point play before a free throw from Alvarez sent the game to halftime with HPU up 40-31.
 
The Sharks chomped down on the Sunbirds in the third quarter, first getting a 12-point lead on a jumper from Lambrigtsen, then adding a 9-0 run to take a 16-point advantage on a 3-pointer from Baum with 4:05 remaining in the period. HPU eventually pushed the lead to 21 behind a triple from Rivera and ended the quarter up 20 at 67-47.
 
The Sharks maintained throughout the final quarter, allowing the Sunbirds to close the gap to 15 before closing strong. A 3-pointer from sophomore McKenzie Alton from Sammamish, Wash./Bellarmine with 10 seconds to play gave HPU a 22-point finish and an 88-66 victory.
 
The Sharks take off next week for final exams before they return to the hardwood on Sunday, Dec. 9 to meet the Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine at the Stan Sheriff Center. The contest, which is an exhibition for the Sharks and a countable contest for UH, tips at 2:30 p.m.