HILO, Hawai`i—Freshman Mandi Kawaha jump-started her team in her first collegiate game, and Allie Navarette put on the finishing touches during a 74-51 women's basketball win for Hawai`i Hilo on Friday night over Multnomah University at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.

The result gave the Vulcans a win in their 2018-19 season opener, while the game was an exhibition contest for Multnomah, who remains at 4-2. Tomorrow night at 5 pm, the two teams will square off again in a counting game for both of them.

Kawaha, a hometown girl from Hilo High School, had 16 points in her collegiate debut, including 11 in the first half. She hit 7-of-11 shots and also had five assists in a sterling debut. Navarette, an honorable mention All-Pacific West Conference selection as a freshman last year, had 18 points—almost all of them in the fourth quarter when the Vulcans needed them most.

Alyssa Movchan (11 points) and Sara Shimizu (10) were also in double figures for the home team.

"We did a lot of things well tonight," said Vulcan head coach David Kaneshiro. "The energy was good. We also faced some adversary and did a nice job fighting back from that."

There wasn't much to worry about early, as the Vulcans raced out to a 23-13 lead in the first period. By the end of the half, they had ramped up the margin to 15 points (38-23), thanks in part to Kawaha's 11 points and Movchan's nine.

The lead went to 20 points (48-28) part way through the third period before the wheels came off a bit. Multnomah found their range, getting a spark from Alaygaza Portis (11 second half points) who entered the game for the first time. From that 48-28 lead, the Lions cut the margin to just four points at the end of the period—an 18-2 run that was punctuated with a Portis basket at the buzzer (50-46).

In the fourth quarter, the Vulcans turned to Navarette—on her birthday. She quickly put nine points on the board and would have 11 in the quarter after draining a three to give her team a 64-50 lead. Shimizu kept the pressure on in the final minutes with a pair of treys and a basket to help UH Hilo outscore their visitors 24-5 in the fourth period.

Freshman Maddie Beck had eight points in her UHH debut and senior Patience Taylor added seven. Chyann Gabriel scrapped for six boards, tying for the team lead in that category with Navarette.

Amber Szmyd led Multnomah—an NAIA school from Portland, with 13 points before fouling out. Portis had 11, all in the second half.