HONOLULU – The Hawai'i Pacific University women ran their win streak to eight straight as they took down Biola 72-59 in PacWest Conference action Saturday afternoon at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center.
 
The Sharks (15-5, 13-1) picked up their 14th win in the last 15 games. The Eagles (9-11, 7-7) fell for the second time in the last three games.
 
Senior Breanna Mackenzie of Melbourne, Australia/Box Hill equaled a season-high with 20 points to go with six rebounds and a game-high four steals. Senior Samantha Lambrightsen of Oregon, Ill./Oregon HS added 15 points with three boards and two steals, while sophomore Alysha Marcucci of Melbourne, Australia/Marist-Sion posted 11 points. Freshman Amy Baum of Melbourne, Australia/Rowville Secondary, led the game with nine rebounds and seven assists to go with six points.
 
Biola was led by Jazz Benn with 16 points to go with four rebounds, while Tatum Brimley and Danita Estorga both had 10 points, with three rebounds and three steals. Jessica shill led the Eagles on the glass with six boards.
 
HPU connected on 45 percent (25-of-56) of its shots from the floor, including 7-of-24 (29 percent) from the 3-point arc. The Sharks made 75 percent (15-of-20) from the foul line. Biola was held to 35 percent from the field (18-of-51), and 26 percent (6-of-23) from the arc. The Eagles went 17-of-24 (71 percent) from the foul line. Biola outrebounded HPU 35-34, but the Sharks had 16 turnovers to the Eagles 23.
 
Biola took the opening lead but freshman Abbey Noblett of Morwell, Australia/Lavalla Catholic hit a 3-pointer for HPU to lead 3-2. The Eagles added a Benn layup to go back up and that lead held until the 6:27 mark of the first quarter when a Marcucci 3-pointer keyed a 7-0 HPU run. The Sharks never trailed again. A Baum layup put HPU on top 18-10 after one.
 
The Sharks posted a 9-3 run to start the second quarter after freshman Lauryn Hippolite of Nelson, New Zealand/Middleton Grange buried the first of her three 3-pointers for a 27-13 advantage. The Sharks extended the lead to 20 with four straight Lambrigtsen free throws, but a Benn 30-plus foot bank shot 3-pointer cut the HPU lead to 39-22 at intermission.
 
HPU and Biola swapped scores throughout the third until the Sharks put together a 10-2 run late to take a 21-point lead on a layup from sophomore McKenzie Alton of Sammamish, Wash./Bellarmine Prep. A pair of Eagle free throws gave the Sharks a 56-37 lead after three quarters.
 
The final frame found Biola using an 11-2 run to pull within 10 with 5:46 to play, but a Marcucci triple thwarted the threat and the Eagles never got any closer. Thanks to free throws down the stretch HPU built back a 16-point lead until an Estorga 3-pointer with 23 seconds left provided the final with HPU taking the win 72-59.
 
The Sharks hit the midway point of the five-game homestand on Monday when they host Chaminade at the Blaisdell Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.