COSTA MESA, Calif. — Hawai'i Pacific University Women's Basketball faced one of the PacWest's top teams Saturday afternoon, falling 79–37 to Vanguard at the Freed Center for Leadership and Service.

The Lions set the tone early behind a strong first-quarter surge, but the Sharks continued to compete throughout the afternoon, finding offensive rhythm in stretches and leaning on balanced contributions across the lineup.

Mya Hatchett led HPU with a team-high 11 points, adding two rebounds in 23 minutes of action. Jalen Samuel followed with nine points, knocking down a three-pointer and going a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line, while Kyra Tanabe added five points and Anisa Torres chipped in four.

HPU showed its best offensive stretch in the second quarter, outscoring its opening frame and moving the ball effectively to generate quality looks. The Sharks also closed the game with their highest-scoring quarter, putting up 15 points in the fourth behind aggressive drives and trips to the free-throw line.

Defensively, Hawai'i Pacific forced 16 Vanguard turnovers and capitalized with nine points off those miscues, while also collecting 25 rebounds as a team. The Sharks' bench contributed 16 points, highlighting continued depth and development within the rotation.

HPU will look to take the lessons from the matchup and continue building momentum as PacWest play continues.