HILO, Hawai'i– The Vulcans are rolling with a five-game winning streak after their 77-63 win over Dominican in the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium. 

UH Hilo improves 7-2 overall and 4-1 in the Pacific West Conference while Dominican falls 8-8 and 5-4 in the PacWest. The Vulcans will hold their second place standing in the PacWest Conference.

The Vulcans and Penguins played a competitive game with 18 lead changes, both teams taking the lead nine times. Dominican led through the first quarter, but it was the Vulcans who led at the end of the remaining three quarters. 

A large part of the Vulcans success was their ability to share the ball. Every Vulcan who entered the game scored a basket. The Vulcans dominated the Penguins in bench points outscoring DU 32-17. 

The Vulcans' great defense also played a huge role in their win. UHH kept defensive pressure on DU, causing 18 turnovers where the Vulcans were able to capitalize, scoring 13 points. 

Another notable point for this game was the amount of physical contact that was seen on the floor. Three Penguins fouled out, one of which was the PacWest's lead scorer Riley Friauf early in the fourth quarter. Four Vulcans reached four personal fouls, but none fouled out of the game. 

Sharing the Love
Every Vulcan who appeared on the floor scored a basket and a rebound. 

The Red and Black's leading scorers were Mandi Kawaha (14), Heaven Samayoa-Mathis (13), and Bree Olsen (11).

Leading the defensive pursuit was Olsen with eight rebounds, just two away from a double-double. Behind Olsen was Samayoa-Mathis with seven, Mandi Kawaha with five, and Noelle Sua-Godinet and Nikki Miller with four apiece. 

More Vulcan Defense  
The Vulcans tallied six steals in the night, Mindy Kawaha led with three and Mandi Kawaha and Sua-Gondinet followed with two and one respectively. Mandi Kawaha is now on a seven-game steal streak. 

Mandi Kawaha also had the Vulcans' single block of the night which was her second block of the season. 

Up Next For the Vulcans
The Vulcans will hit the road next where they will face Azusa Pacific, Concordia Irvine, Point Loma and Biola. UHH's first game on the road is Saturday, Jan. 22 against the Cougars in the Felix Event Center at 12:15 p.m. HST. APU is currently first place in the PacWest Conference standings, 11-1 overall and 7-0 in the PacWest. 

To view the women's basketball team's schedule, CLICK HERE.