HONOLULU - Hawai'i Pacific University (5-11, 4-6 PacWest) defeated Biola University (6-8, 3-6 PacWest) at the Shark Tank Tuesday evening, 58-53.

The Sharks were led by junior guard Jalen Samuel, who laid the pain with 15 points, two assists, and a rebound. She was followed closely by Lucia Ricci, who was a hammah on both sides of the ball, scoring 11 points with two assists while also snagging eight rebounds. Defensively, it was Alana Roberts doing the heavy lifting, securing 12 rebounds, 10 points, and four assists before collecting five well-spent personal fouls and fouling out late in the fourth.

The Sharks struggled early in the game throughout the first and second quarters with balls consistently being put up for good positions, but bouncing out. Biola was able to build a 24-17 lead before the half and was able to go into the locker room feeling good about its chances. However, after the break, the Sharks found their rhythm, losing the third quarter by only three points and bursting forth in the fourth, scoring 24 points to the Eagles 9. The Sharks held the lead for only 2:23 the entire game, with their largest lead being nine points with 0:06 left to play, but their grit left them on top. 

This win helps move the Sharks up slightly in the Conference standings to 8th of 12. 

The women's basketball team will see play again this Thursday against Westmont at 4:30 p.m. at the Shark Tank. For those who can't attend, a live stream will be available on the PacWest Network.