HILO, Hawai`i—A 13-0 run at the start of the second quarter helped propel the Hawai`i Hilo Vulcans to a 73-54 win over Multnomah University on Saturday night at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.
It's the first 2-0 start for the Vulcans since the 2012-13 season. Multnomah, an NAIA team from Portland, dropped to 4-3 on the season.
The Vulcans had four players in double figures, led by
Alyssa Movchan's 16 points and seven rebounds.
Allie Navarette had her first double-double of the season with 14 points and 14 boards, while
Sara Shimizu added 14 points and four assists. Freshman
Maddie Beck contributed 10 points and also pulled down seven rebounds.
The game didn't begin as positive as it ended. The Lions led the entire first period, taking a 15-12 margin into the start of the second quarter thanks in part to a pair of three-pointers from Bethany George.
But the Vulcans began the second quarter on a mission. Consecutive treys by Beck and Shimizu gave the Vulcans a 18-15 lead and would launch them on a 13-0 run. Navarette had seven points during that blitz as the home team would outscore the Lions 18-5 in the period for a 30-20 halftime lead.
A Shimizu three-pointer gave UH Hilo a 14-point lead early in the third (34-20) but Multnomah battled back behind Milan Woods. Woods, who did not play in the first half, came off the bench and scored 11 points in the third to help pull the Lions to within seven points heading into the fourth period (47-40).
UHH began to pull away again in the fourth with treys from
Mandi Kawaha and Movchan in the first three minutes. Before the period was over, the Vulcans would outscore the Lions 26-14 to account for the final score of 73-54.
Navarette had four blocks to go with her 14-14 night. The Vulcans hit nine three-pointers (9-22) and outrebounded the Lions, 45-34.
Woods led the Lions with 13 points. Sequoia Wheeler was also in double figures with 11.
The Vulcans will now get almost two weeks away from game time, next opening Pacific West Conference play on November 29 at Hawaii Pacific.
