HILO, Hawai`i—In the 2016-17 women's basketball series between Hawai`i Hilo and Chaminade, it will go down as a tale of two cities—with each team winning on the other club's court.

Chaminade gained a measure of revenge and picked up its first victory of the year at the same time, claiming a 59-54 win over Hawai`i Hilo on Saturday night at Vulcan Gymnasium.  The Silverswords leave the Big Island with a 1-5 overall record and a 1-3 mark in the Pacific West Conference. The Vulcans now sport the exact same records.

The teams played each other less than two weeks ago, with UHH winning in Honolulu by a similar score of 58-53. This game had a lot of similarities to that one, but with a different team in the winner's circle when it was all said and done.

Sydney Mercer had a season-high 22 points to lead the Vuls, while Kristle Henry was the hero for the Silverswords with 17 points, including some big buckets in the fourth quarter.

Both teams were stone cold in the first quarter, shooting 27 percent from the floor or less—except for Mercer who had six points in the first three minutes and had eight at the quarter break. UHH had a five-point lead (12-7) after a Mercer fast break basket and settled for a 12-9 margin at the end of the ten minutes.

Both squads put together more offense in the second period. Henry opened the quarter with the first three-pointer of the night (12-12), but UHH scored three consecutive buckets to take a six-point margin (18-12). With just a little under three minutes left in the half, a Mercer bucket gave UHH an eight-point lead (24-16), but the Silverswords battled back. Lilia Maio converted a three-point play with just under a minute to play to cut the margin to two, but UHH took a three-point edge into the halftime locker room (27-24).

UHH led by as many as six points in the third quarter, but Henry hit a three-pointer and followed that up with a pair of free throws to give Chaminade its first lead since the opening minutes of the game (34-33) with 3:20 left in the quarter. Patience Taylor claimed the lead back for the hosts but two charity tosses by Carissa Webb right before the end of the quarter put the Silverswords up by one heading into the final ten minutes (38-37).

The visitors then got hot when they needed it most. Henry gave the 'Swords their biggest lead of the night to that point (48-42) with just under four minutes to play. Twice UHH got to with two points, both times on baskets by Asia Smith, but Chaminade pulled away both times. Taylor Babbitt hit a trey with 1:41 left and Henry converted a three-point play with 37 second remaining to make it 55-50. With UHH forced to foul, the Silverswords converted five consecutive free throws in the final half minute to hold off their hosts.

Chaminade shot 67 percent from the floor in the fourth period. Maio had a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds and Destiny Castro just missed the same with 11 points and nine boards.

"Give them credit," said Vulcan head coach David Kaneshiro said of Chaminade. "They did what they had to do in the fourth quarter."

Taylor joined Mercer in twin figures with 11 points and she led the Vulcans with eight rebounds.  Kim Schmelz returned to the court for the first time since the opening game of the year, playing 19 minutes and hitting a pair of free throws. Alexa Jacobs had eight assists for her squad. Mercer hit 10 of 16 shots from the floor, had five rebounds and three assists.

The Vulcans will use this coming to take final exams and prep for a tough challenge next Saturday at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium. At 4 pm (Dec 17), UHH will host perennial west region power Alaska Anchorage.