LA MIRADA, Calif. – Hawai'i Pacific University dropped a 64-54 decision at Biola in PacWest Conference play Monday night at Chase Gym.
 
The Sharks (4-10, 1-6) never held a lead in the contest and saw the Eagles (9-5, 5-2) use a 7-0 run in the first quarter to open a lead they would never relinquish.
 
The Sharks were led by junior Avery Cargill of Santa Rosa, Calif./Cardinal Newman who scored a game-high 23 points and just missed a double-double with a game-high eight rebounds that also matched a season-high. Junior Tavia Rowell of Langley, B.C./Walnut Grove added 16 points for the Sharks.
 
The Eagles got 23 points as well from Amiah Simmons who grabbed seven rebounds. Laila Walker posted 10 points as well. Aysia Johnson tallied eight rebounds and four steals for the Eagles as well.
 
HPU connected on 32 percent from the field (20-of-63), including 7-of-23 (21 percent) from the 3-point arc. The Sharks made 7-of-12 (58 percent) of their free throws. The Eagles shot 49 percent (26-of-53) from the floor, with 5-of-19 (26 percent) from the arc. BU went 7-of-11 (64 percent) from the charity stripe. Biola won the rebounding battle 42-33, but turned the ball over 17 times to HPU's 12.
 
Biola scored the first two baskets of the game for the quick lead before Cargill took advantage of a steal by freshman Jordyn Jensen of Truckee, Calif./Bishop Manogue for a transition 3-pointer with 5:40 left in the first to make it a 4-3 contest. But that's when the Eagles went on a 7-0 run for 11-3 advantage and kept the Sharks at bay.
 
After trailing by nine at the end of the first period, HPU cut the Eagle lead to five points early in the second before Biola got a 9-1 run capped by a Simmons put back for a 13-point lead on the way to a 32-19 halftime advantage.
 
The Sharks closed the gap to eight points at 34-26 on a Rowell 3-pointer, only to have the Eagles chalk up another 8-2 run to regain a double-digit advantage they wouldn't give up.
 
HPU closed the game with a 6-0 run for the 64-54 final.
 
The Sharks have two days off before they tangle with nationally ranked Azusa Pacific on Thursday at the Felix Event Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. HST (5:15 p.m. PST).