HILO, Hawai`i—So far 2020 has been a very good year for the Hawai`i Hilo women's basketball team.

Two nights after upsetting Fresno Pacific, the Vulcans put an even more impressive victory in the win column, taking down conference leader Point Loma, 58-52. The win was UH Hilo's second in a row, and the victory snapped an eight-game Sea Lion win streak.

The Sea Lions, who shot just 29 percent from the field, hadn't lost since November. Prior to UH Hilo's win on Thursday night against the Sunbirds, they hadn't won since November 21. The Vulcan triumph was a stunner, especially when you consider that the Sea Lions just defeated UH Hilo 78-46 in San Diego on December 12.

Mandi Kawaha led the Vulcans with 20 points, 17 of those coming in the second half. Allie Navarette had a double-double with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Carol Schroeder led Point Loma with ten points and ten boards.

The game was almost as even as it could be in the first half. There were six ties in the first quarter, and it wasn't until Sara Shimizu's three-pointer put UHH up 15-12 that anyone had a lead of more than two. Makayla Tablit added another three to put the Vulcans up 20-14, and UHH had a 21-16 lead at the end of the period.

In the second quarter, Point Loma opened with a 10-0 run to take the margin back. The Vulcans didn't score for the first 5:50 of the quarter, but made up for that draught a bit with back-to-back three's by Navarette and Tablit to regain the lead (27-26). Point Loma answered with a 5-0 run and took a narrow 31-29 lead into intermission.

The Sea Lions had two leads of six points in the third quarter, their largest of the game, and they led 46-42 heading into the fourth period.

But Kawaha hit two treys during a low scoring fourth quarter to draw UHH even (48-48), and a pair of Navarette free throws gave her team the lead at 50-48. The Vulcans would never trail again as the Sea Lions went cold down the stretch, and Navarette and Kawaha hit charity tosses.

The Vulcans will play game three of a five contest homestand on Monday night (5 pm), taking on Biola at the Civic Auditorium.