FRESNO, Calif. – Behind the 1-2 punch of seniors Samantha Lambrigtsen and Breanna Mackenzie, Hawai'i Pacific University posted a 79-72 come-from-behind victory over Fresno Pacific Friday afternoon in PacWest Conference play at the FPU Special Events Center.
 
The defending PacWest Conference Champion Sharks (8-5, 6-1) won for the second time this season over the Sunbirds (10-4, 6-2) while handing FPU its first home loss this season.
 
The Sharks overcame a 10-point second quarter deficit with a 15-2 run to take the halftime lead, then closed the contest with a 14-6 run to clinch the win.
 
Lambrigtsen, from Oregon, Ill./Oregon HS, led the Sharks with 21 points to go with seven rebounds, while Mackenzie, from Melbourne, Australia/Box Hill, double-double for the first time this season with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman Amy Baum of Melbourne, Australia/Rowville Secondary added 18 points, six boards and a game-high five assists. Sophomore Alysha Marcucci of Melbourne, Australia/Marist-Sion scored 10 points with six rebounds.
 
Jessica Malazarte paced Fresno Pacific with 21 points and five assists. Cassie Pisik collected 15 points with nine boards, with Bree Alvarez posting 12 points and Ashley Cross 11 with five rebounds.
 
HPU shot 47 percent from the floor (29-of-62), including 39 percent (7-of-18) from the 3-point arc. The Sharks hit 14-of-21 shots (67 percent) from the free throw line. The Sunbirds hit only 36 percent from the field (24-of-67), but hit 38 percent (9-of-24) from the arc. FPU made 15-of-25 (60 percent) at the charity stripe. HPU outrebounded FPU 45-to-39, but suffered two more turnovers 18-16.
 
The Sunbirds didn't trail in the first quarter, building a nine-point advantage on a pair of Malazarte free throws. The Sharks chipped back to make it an 18-11 Fresno Pacific lead after one.
 
In the second quarter, the Sunbirds got a 3-pointer from Malazarte to take their largest lead of 10 points at 24-14 with 8:39 to go. The teams exchanged scores as FPU went back up by nine at 28-21 with 5:11 to go on another Malazarte jumper. But HPU quickly followed with layups from Lambrigtsen and Mackenzie to key a 15-2 run to close the period. The HPU defense only allowed FPU two Malazarte free throws in the final five minutes. A Mackenzie layup and a Baum 3-pointer gave HPU a 34-30 lead at the half.
 
The teams played even in the third quarter, as FPU tied the Sharks four times in the period and the lead changed hands four times. HPU used a 5-0 run in the last two minutes of the quarter on a layup-free throw 3-point play by Mackenzie and a layup from Lambrigtsen for the 55-51 lead after three.
 
HPU pushed their lead to seven on a 3-pointer from Baum to start the fourth, but FPU answered with a 10-2 run to retake the lead at 61-60 on an Alvarez 3-pointer with 7:09 to go. It was the first of six lead changes in the quarter.
 
The Sunbirds got their final lead when Pisik made a laypu with 5:11 remaining to lead 66-65 before Baum buried a jumper with 4:50 left to give HPU a lead it wouldn't relinquish in starting an 8-0 run. The Sharks extended it to a 14-4 run before allowing Pisik to hit a jumper in the closing seconds as HPU finished with the 79-72 triumph.
 
The victory closed the three-game Northern California road swing for the Sharks. HPU is back in action on Saturday, Jan. 12, when the Sharks visit the Big Island to take on Hawai'i Hilo in a 1 p.m. contest.