HONOLULU – Nationally ranked Hawai'i Pacific University never trailed in extending its winning streak to 14 on Saturday afternoon with a resounding 105-45 clubbing of Holy Names at The Shark Tank.
 
The Sharks (18-1, 13-0), ranked eighth in the WBCA Division II Coaches poll and seventh in the D2SIDA poll, handed the Hawks (1-14, 1-10) their fourth straight loss while getting 98 or more points in three straight and four of their last five games.
 
Sophomore Abbey Noblett of Morwell, Australia/Lavalla Catholic double-doubled with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while sophomore Ally Bates of Melbourne, Australia/Yarra Valley came off the bench with 17 points in leading the Sharks. Freshman Theresa Spatzier of Heidelberg, Germany/St. Raphael came from the bench for 16 points, with senior Starr Rivera of Honolulu/Roosevelt posting 15 points and junior Alysha Marcucci of Melbourne, Australia/Marist-Sion adding 10 points with five steals. Sophomore Amy Baum of Melbourne, Australia/Rowville Secondary led the game with 12 rebounds, just missing a triple-double with eight points and eight assists.
 
Gernijah Martin led the Hawks, coming off the bench with 14 points to go with five rebounds. Samaiyah Abdullah chipped in eight points. Monica Valenzuela collected six rebounds to lead the Hawks on the glass.
 
HPU shot 49 percent from the field (36-of-73), including 13-of-35 (37 percent) from the 3-point arc. The Sharks connected on 20-of-29 (69 percent) from the free throw line. The Sharks held Holy Names to just 25 percent from the floor (16-of-60), including 3-of-24 (13 percent) from the arc. The Hawks maded 12-of-18 (67 percent) from the charity stripe. HPU dominated the boards 55-34 and turned the ball over just eight times to the Hawks 19.
 
HPU opened the game with a 3-pointer from Baum on its first shot, then added a Marcucci layup on the way to an 11-2 run to start the game. The Sharks toyed with the Hawks before pushing open a 12-point lead on a Spatzier layup. The Hawks cut the lead to 10 with a jumper from Abdullah just before the quarter horn as HPU led 24-14 after one.
 
The Hawks cut back into the lead to start the second quarter, with an Abdullah 3-pointer that cut the lead to seven. HPU led by nine at the 6:28 mark before Rivera knocked down a triple to regain a double-digit lead they wouldn't relinquish. It also started an 18-2 run to go up by 25 with 41 seconds left in the half on another Rivera trey. HNU dropped in two free throws to make the score 46-23 at halftime.
 
HPU lifted the lid on the second half with an 8-0 run and the Sharks were on the final prowl. After a pair of Hawk free throws, the Sharks went on an 11-1 run and the contest was never in question. The Sharks pushed open a 46-point lead on a 3-pointer from freshman Maja Leidefors of Jonkoping, Sweden/Sandagymnasiet and settled for a 78-33 advantage after a Bates layup that dropped through as the horn sounded.
 
The Sharks soundly controlled the final period. HPU broke 100 with 2:31 remaining as Spatzier buried a 3 for a 101-45 advantage. A final layup from Leidefors with 58 seconds left gave the Sharks the 60-point 105-45 win. HPU held HNU scoreless the final 3:45 of the contest.
 
HPU doesn't have much time to celebrate as they play the second of three games in five days on Monday. Concordia Irvine, two games behind the Sharks in second place in the PacWest, invades The Shark Tank for a 4:30 p.m. tipoff.