ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Hawai'i Pacific University senior Starr Rivera nailed a 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat Northwest Nazarene 83-80 in the season opening game at the Central Washington Crossover Classic on Friday at Nicholson Pavilion.
 
The Sharks (1-0) rode the 25-point performance of Rivera, a senior guard from Honolulu/Roosevelt for the win over the Nighthawks (0-1).
 
HPU came out of a time out tied at 80-80 with 13.7 seconds to play, looking to get the ball inside. As the clock wound down, sophomore Abbey Noblett of Morwell, Australia/Lavalla Catholic found Rivera at the left elbow. The 5-5 senior calmly launched a shot over her defender that hit the rim once before dropping through the net with the buzzer sounding.
 
In addition to Rivera's 25 points, junior Alysha Marcucci of Melbourne, Australia/Marist-Sion collected 25 points. Sophomore Amy Baum of Melbourne, Australia/Rowville Secondary added 13 points and led the Sharks with eight rebounds and nine assists, while Noblett had 11 points with seven boards.
 
Avery Albrect led Northwest Nazarene with 21 points and eight rebounds. Marina Valles added 15 points and eight assists. Claire Eubanks posted 12 points with six boards and Erin Jenkins 10.
 
The Sharks shot 45 percent from the field (33-of-74), including 12-of-35 (34 percent) from the 3-point arc and made all five of their free throws attempted. The Nighthawks connected on 47 percent from the field (30-of-64), hitting 9-of-18 (50 percent) from the arc and 11-of-19 (58 percent) from the charity stripe. HPU dominated the boards 47-34 over the taller Nighthawks, but suffered 20 turnovers to NNU's 16.
 
The game was almost an uh-oh for the Sharks, who led by 12 points after a Rivera trey with 2:54 in the second quarter, only to have the Nighthawk answer with a 10-0 run. A Noblett 3-pointer gave HPU a 41-36 lead at the half.
 
HPU regained a seven-point advantage in the third before NNU roared back and took a 3-point lead on a pair of free throws by Haley Hanson with nine seconds in the period. But once again, the Sharks responded as Baum found Rivera open at the left elbow and the senior hit a triple to knot the game at 58-58 after three.
 
The Sharks appeared to have the game in hand after junior Makenna Gambee of Hillsboro, Ore./Hillsboro, scooped in a layup with 3:20 remaining. NNU called a timeout and proceeded to hit three straight 3-pointers against one Baum layup to pull within one at 78-77 with 90 seconds to play.
 
The teams traded layups before NNU's Valles was fouled with 46 seconds left. She hit the first free throw to tie the game at 80, but missed the next. Marcucci grabbed the board and the Nighthawks never gained possession of the ball again.
 
HPU got two shots away, but got the offensive rebound on both misses – the last with Gambee grabbing the ball on the floor and calling timeout with 13.7 remaining.
 
HPU worked the ball around the right side, looking for an inside play. But when the ball came back to Noblett up top with under five seconds left, she stepped to the inside then delivered the pass to Rivera who launched it with a defender closing. The arcing shot hit softly on the back rim and dropped through as the backboard light and horn sounded for the first victory of the season.
 
HPU doesn't have long to celebrate the win, as the Sharks take on host Central Washington on in the classic on Saturday at 4 p.m. HST (6 p.m. PST) in Nicholson Pavilion.