Box Score

The Malone University women's basketball team came up just short in its bid to collect two wins in as many attempts during a trip to the Hawaiian Islands as the Pioneers, after defeating Chaminade University two days ago, dropped a 66-63 decision to Hawaii Pacific University on Saturday. The contest was part of the HPU Classic held at Pearl Harbor's Bloch Arena.

With the loss, Malone fell to 6-4 on the season (remaining at 1-3 in GLIAC play) while the Sea Warriors improved to 7-2 overall.

After HPU scored the opening basket of the game, the Pioneers quickly ripped off 13 straight points to take the early control of the contest.  The visitors still held a 23-13 lead with 7:33 left in the half but the host Sea Warriors held Malone to a single point for the remainder of the half while scoring 15 of their own to take a 28-24 edge into halftime.

In the final period, the Pioneers scored the first six points of the half to go up 30-28 but it would be the last lead the visitors would hold until less than one minute remained in the contest.  Even though the Sea Warriors slowly built their lead to as many as nine points, at 50-41 with 10:05 left, the Pioneers clawed back and, with just 48 seconds left, took a 62-61 lead after a pair of free throws netted by guard Selana Reale.

Five seconds later, HPU scored on a layup to re-take the lead at 63-62 before, with 28 seconds remaining, Reale split a pair of free throws to knot the score at 63-all.  The hosts then proceeded to score on a layup with 12 seconds left.  With four seconds left, Malone had a chance to tie the game but a strongly contested layup by guard Sydnee Penn did not fall.  The Sea Warriors would hit one of two free attempts with two seconds left to secure the three-point, 66-63 win.

For Malone, Reale tossed in a team-best 17 points (4-8 FG, 2-5 3FG, 7-8 FT) while also posting five rebounds and team-highs in both assists (3) and steals (4).

Guard Deborah Simmers and forward Lindsy Snyder followed Reale in scoring with 11 points apiece as the duo also added five and six rebounds, respectively. In addition, forward Tara Schaffter hit the twin-figure mark with 10 points.  Two other Pioneers, Penn and guard Logan Pastor, paced the Pioneers on the boards as Penn pulled down a season-high 15 rebounds and Pastor added eight.

Skye Savini led HPU in scoring with 17 points while Brittany Hale followed with 14 points. Laken McClelland paced the squad in rebounds with 12.

Malone held a slight edge in field goal percentage at 37.9% (22-58) to HPU's 34.3% (23-67) but the Sea Warriors earned a dozen more points than the Pioneers from beyond the arc as HPU sank nine of 26 attempts (34.6%) while Malone made five of 23 (21.7%).  Neither team fared well at the free throw line with Malone holding a slim edge at 58.3% (14-24) to HPU's 57.9% (11-19). In addition, the Sea Warriors held a slight 50-48 advantage in rebounds.

After its 1-1 split in Hawaii, Malone will next compete in an away conference contest at Saginaw Valley State University (MI), which has a current record of 5-2 (3-1 GLIAC), on Thursday, January 2nd at 6:00 p.m.   Live stats, live video and live audio are available for this contest.