HILO, HAWAI'I – The No. 2/4 Hawai'i Pacific University women ran their winning streak to 36 games and kept their record spotless with a 76-61 PacWest Conference victory Thursday afternoon at Vulcan Gym.
 
The Sharks (11-0, 10-0), ranked second in the D2SIDA poll and fourth in the WBCA Division II poll, never trailed in the game, allowing the Vulcans (4-6, 4-6) ties at 3-3 and 5-5 before going on a 9-0 run to grab the lead they'd hold the rest of the contest.
 
The Sharks were led once again by junior All-American Amy Baum of Melbourne, Australia/Rowville Secondary, who posted game-highs with 21 points and eight assists to go with five rebounds. Baum made 14-of-14 free throws, the most in an HPU game without a miss and one off the HPU record for free throws in a game.
 
Senior Olivia West of Launceston, Australia/Templestowe added 18 points and seven rebounds with two blocked shots for the Sharks, while senior Alysha Marcucci of Yarragon, Australia/Marist-Sion double-doubled with 15 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Junior Ally Bates of Melbourne, Australia/Yarra Valley posted 11 points.
 
The Vulcans were paced by Mandi Kawaha, who double-doubled with 12 points and 10 rebounds and Jenna Waki with 12 points also. Malia Lee double-doubled on senior day with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Sara Shimizu had 11 points with seven assists.
 
HPU shot just 38 percent from the floor (22-of-58), including 5-of-18 3-point field goals (28 percent). However, the Sharks converted 27-of-31 free throws (87 percent). UH Hilo hit to 39 percent from the field (25-of-64), and 6-of-17 (35 percent) from the 3-point arc. The Vulcans made only 5-of-11 (46 percent) of their foul shots. HPU and UHH were even with 39 rebounds each, while HPU suffered nine turnovers to UHH's 13.
 
The two teams opened the contest trading 3's and layups to tie the score at 5-5. That's when senior Makenna Gambee of Hillsboro, Ore./Hillsboro hit a jumper to break the tie and start a 9-0 run for the Sharks that capped on a pair of Marcucci free throws. HPU never trailed again, and went to the quarter with a 20-12 advantage.
 
In the second period, UH Hilo cut the Shark lead to four on a Kawaha jumper, only to have HPU go on a 6-0 run to take a 10-point lead on a Baum's 3-pointer. The teams swapped scores to have the Sharks up 36-29 at halftime.
 
HPU posted another 9-0 run late in the third quarter capped by a Marcucci triple for a 16-point lead, only to have the Vulcans bury a pair of 3-pointers in the final minute of the period to cut the lead to 55-44.
 
The teams battled out the final 10 minutes. The physical contest led to several free throws, and HPU went 16-for-18 from the line in the fourth quarter to pull away with the 76-61 win.
 
The contest was the last scheduled of the season between the Vulcans and Sharks, with HPU taking all six games.
 
No. 2/4 HPU returns to The Shark Tank for its final regular season games on Monday, March 1 and Wednesday, March 3 when the Sharks host cross-town rival Chaminade. Both games are set for a 4:30 p.m. tipoff.