HILO  –  The Hawai'i Pacific University women ran their winning streak to 28 straight with a 69-56 PacWest Conference victory over Hawai'i Hilo on Sunday afternoon at Vulcan Gymnasium.
 
The victory was also the 199th for Takatsuka, the winningest active collegiate coach in Hawai'i (199-64).
 
The Sharks (3-0, 2-0) struggled against the Vulcans (0-2, 0-2) in their first back-to-back game of the season.
 
The teams exchanged the lead 12 times and were tied five times before HPU senior Ally Bates of Melbourne, Australia/Yarra Valley buried back-to-back 3-pointers as part of an 12-2 run to end the third quarter to put the Sharks up to stay.
 
The star of the contest for the Sharks was senior Olivia West of Launceston, Australia/Templestowe, who led all scorers with 30 points in 37 minutes. She was 10-of-15 from the floor and 7-of-9 from the foul line in pacing the Sharks. Bates also shined for HPU, scoring 23 points with five rebounds. Junior All-American Amy Baum of Melbourne, Australia/Rowville Secondary was held to just seven points – all from the free throw line – while leading the Sharks with 10 rebounds and three assists.
 
The Vulcans got 27 points from Kim Schmelz, while Bree Olson added 17 points. Malia Lee had a game-high 11 rebounds.
 
HPU struggled from the floor, shooting just 37 percent (18-of-49), including 30 percent from the 3-point arc (7-of-23). HPU hit 77 percent from the free throw line, going 26-of-34. UH Hilo was held to 33 percent from the field (20-of-61), and 35 percent (7-of-20) from the arc. The Vulcans went 9-of-12 from the foul line, 75 percent. HPU outrebounded UHH 41-36, with both teams suffering 14 turnovers.
 
The Sharks got the opening points of the game, a 3-pointer by West, but the Vulcans followed with a 9-0 run to hold a 9-3 advantage early. HPU rallied back to close the first quarter with a 7-0 run for a 10-9 lead thanks to a jumper from sophomore Avery Cargill of Santa Rosa, Calif./Cardinal Newman.
 
HPU held off the Vulcans in the second quarter, building an eight-point lead after a West jumper, only to have UHH's Schmelz nail a jumper to cut the Sharks halftime lead to 32-26.
 
The Vulcans came out of the break red-hot, using a 15-3 run to grab a 39-35 advantage as HPU went 1-9 from the floor in the first five minutes of the period. But then the Sharks rallied as Baum converted four free throw attempts on two possessions to tie the game and start the 12-2 run, followed by Bates two triples. The teams swapped scores as the third ended 47-43.
 
The Sharks never trailed in the final quarter, using a 10-2 run to open up the score. HPU took advantage of the Vulcans foul trouble to build a 15-point lead before allowing a jumper by Schmelz at the buzzer to make the final 69-56.
 
The Sharks return to host their first set of games this season next weekend. HPU meets cross-town rival Chaminade at The Shark Tank on the former St. Francis School campus next Saturday and Sunday. Tipoff for both games is set for noon.