HONOLULU, Hawai`i—Hawai`i Pacific's Alysha Marcucci rained down six three-pointers and tallied 27 points to help the defending conference champion Sharks open 2018-19 Pacific West Conference play with a 69-48 women's basketball win over Hawai`i Hilo on Thursday night at Moanalua High School.

The Sharks moved to 2-4 overall, while UH Hilo dropped their first game of the season (2-1).

Sophomore Allie Navarette had 13 points to lead the Vulcans, who will remain in Honolulu to take on Chaminade on Saturday afternoon at 1 pm.

Marcucci, a 5-11 sophomore from Australia, had 18 first-half points which included back-to-back treys in the first quarter to break a 9-9 tie and give the Sharks a margin that wouldn't surrender the rest of the night.

The Vulcans had taken an early 7-4 lead after a three-pointer by Maddie Beck and were tied a few moments later at 9-9. But Marcucci started warming up from there with the consecutive treys, and she was only just getting started.

Marcucci would nail five three's in the quarter to take a 23-13 lead after ten minutes. She would hit another in the second quarter and go into the halftime locker room with 18 points, helping the Sharks to a 41-26 margin at the break.

The Vulcans would battle back, outscoring the Sharks in the third quarter (13-11), cutting the HPU lead to 50-39 at one point after a three-pointer by Amber Vaughn. But the Sharks would pull away in the fourth quarter, holding UH Hilo to just nine points in the final period (17-9) to account for the final tally of 69-48.

Marcucci scored all of her 27 points in the first three periods, hitting 9-of-16 shots, 6-of-10 treys and she was 3-of-4 at the free throw line. HPU's Samantha Lambrigtsen had a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

Navarette had 13 points despite fouling out and playing only 23 minutes. Freshman Mandi Kawaha had a solid all-round night with nine points, six rebounds and three assists.

After Saturday's game with the Silverswords, the Vulcans will return home to host Fresno Pacific on Monday night (5 pm) at the UH Hilo Gymnasium.