SAN DIEGO, Calif.—Moral victories don't count in the final score or the standings, but if there was ever one that should have counted for something, it was Hawai`i Hilo's 61-56 loss to Point Loma on Saturday afternoon at Golden Gymnasium.

The Sea Lions, pre-season PacWest co-favorites, had to hold off the pesky Vulcans all the way into the final moments of the game. The win kept Point Loma's post-season hopes alive at 16-10 on the season and 11-8 in conference play. The Sea Lions are currently in sixth place, holding the PacWest tournament's final slot, and they are also ranked No. 9 in the first official NCAA West Region poll, just one spot from a regional berth.

The Vulcans, who welcomed the return of senior guard Safia Sheikh, dropped their tenth straight and fifth of this brutal road trip. They are now 6-15 overall and 4-14 in league play.

The last time these two teams met in Hilo on January 27, the Sea Lions raced to a 76-50 victory.

The Vulcans fell behind early in this one, trailing 13-7 at the end of the first quarter. But they started finding their range in the second period, taking the lead four minutes into the quarter on a Danielle Dacosta trey (17-15). Another three by Allie Navarette with 13 seconds remaining in the half sent the Vulcans into the locker room with a 29-26 lead.

The Sea Lions opened the third quarter on a 10-0 run to take the lead, 36-29. But the Vulcans crawled back again, tying it on a Dacosta basket with 2:45 left (41-41). Point Loma would carry a 47-44 margin into the fourth quarter.

The Vulcans couldn't overcome that small deficit, despite cutting the PLNU lead to one point on three different occasions—including on Dacosta's three-point play with 2:58 left. But they wouldn't score again in the final three minutes as the Sea Lions held on the narrow and critical victory.

Navarette led the visitors with 23 points and seven rebounds, while Dacosta added 15 points and eight boards. Sheikh had 13, hitting three-of-five treys. UH Hilo hit eight-of-16 three-pointers on the afternoon.

Roya Rustamzada led Point Loma with 23 points and ten rebounds.

The Vulcans now return home for the final two games of the season, hosting Chaminade on Thursday and Hawai`i Pacific on Saturday. Both games will start at 5 p.m.