HONOLULU - The Hawaiʻi Pacific University women's basketball team showed resilience down the stretch but fell to Point Loma Nazarene University 71–53 in PacWest action Thursday at the Shark Tank.
Point Loma (18–5, 14–3 PacWest) set the tone early, opening the game on a 10–3 run and building a 15 point lead to maintain control throughout the first half. The Sea Lions led 17–13 after one quarter and extended the margin to 36–25 by halftime, capitalizing on efficient perimeter shooting and second-chance opportunities.
Despite the deficit, HPU (7–16, 6–11 PacWest) continued to battle. The Sharks forced turnovers and found success in transition, with
Kyra Tanabe sparking the offense. Tanabe finished with a team-high 13 points and five steals, providing energy on both ends of the floor.
Alana Roberts added eight points, six rebounds and two steals, and a block anchoring the interior defense, while
Lucia Ricci contributed seven points, four rebounds, and snagging two steals. HPU held a 24–20 edge in points in the paint and matched Point Loma with 11 fast-break points.
Point Loma pulled away in the third quarter, outscoring the Sharks 25–9 behind a balanced attack. Eiley Tippins led the Sea Lions with 12 points and seven rebounds, while Izzy Navarro added 10 points and four assists. The visitors shot 44.9% from the field and knocked down 10 three-pointers.
The Sharks closed the game on a positive note, winning the fourth quarter 19–10 as their defensive pressure forced late turnovers and created scoring chances. HPU shot 83.3% from the free-throw line and recorded 28 total rebounds, showing effort on the glass against a strong Point Loma frontcourt. The Sharks dipped into their benches depth late in the fourth, seeing players like
Raina Forgue,
Victoria Hyatt, and
Tiana Holland contributing to the Sharks efforts. In total, 10 Sharks recorded buckets on the night.
Hawaiʻi Pacific will regroup and return to action this Saturday as they take on Fresno Pacific University at the Homecoming Doubleheader Spectacular at 4:30 PM HST/ 6:30 PM PST. As with all HPU Sharks home events you can find the live stream at pacwestnetwork.tv.
