HONOLULU – The No. 2/4 Hawai'i Pacific University women opened the game with a 13-0 run and never looked back in winning their 37th straight contest with a 74-37 PacWest Conference victory over cross-town rival Chaminade on Monday evening at The Shark Tank.
 
The Sharks (12-0, 11-0) had every starter score in the opening run against the Silverswords (0-9, 0-9) .
 
HPU was led by senior Olivia West of Launceston, Australia/Templestowe with 17 points. Junior All-American Amy Baum of Melbourne, Australia/Rowville Secondary just missed a triple-double with 16 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, with junior Ally Bates of Melbourne, Australia/Yarra Valley also scoring 16 points with eight boards. Senior Alysha Marcucci of Yarragon, Australia/Marist-Sion posted nine points with nine rebounds and three blocked shots.
 
The Swords were led by Jordan Zader with 12 points, and Michaella Dean who scored nine points with eight rebounds.
 
HPU shot 40 percent from the floor (30-of-75), including 8-of-34 from the 3-point arc (24 percent). The Sharks converted 6-of-8 free throws (75 percent). Chaminade shot just 22 percent from the field (11-of-51), and 2-of-15 (13 percent) from the 3-point arc. But the Swords made 13-of-16 (81 percent) of their foul shots. HPU dominated the boards with 52 rebounds to CUH's 36, and turned the ball over only six times to the Swords 14.
 
HPU opened the game by hitting its first five shots, each by a different starter, as part of a 13-0 to start the contest. The Sharks played everyone in the first quarter that ended with HPU up 20-6.
 
The Sharks kept the defense going in the second quarter holding the Swords to just one field goal and two free throws. When sophomore Avery Cargill of Santa Rosa, Calif./Cardinal Newman hit a 3-pointer with 17 seconds left in the half, HPU carried a 41-10 lead into intermission.
 
The last half saw the Swords run the shot clock down each time down the floor to control possession, and HPU relaxed and the shooting percentage fell.
 
The highlight of the fourth quarter was when Baum was fouled and sank two free throws to extend her consecutive free throw streak to 19, one shy of the HPU record.
 
The No. 2/4 Sharks close the regular season on Wednesday evening when they host the Swords again. Tipoff is slated for 4:30 p.m. at The Shark Tank.