OAKLAND, Calif.-- The UH Hilo women's basketball team topped Holy Names for the second consecutive night in the Tobin Gymnasium. Sara Shimizu led the Vulcans with 17 points in their 71-46 victory over the Hawks. 
 
Shimizu was a successful 5-for-6 from downtown and just a few points shy from meeting her career high (21 points). Shimizu has the eighth most three-pointers per game in the PacWest Conference (averaging 1.8).
 
The Vulcans improve 12-8 overall and 9-7 in the PacWest, while the Hawks decline 0-20 overall and 0-12 in the league. 
 
The Vulcans improved their field goal percentage from last night (Feb. 15), shooting 43.1 percent (shot 41.8 percent last night). Six Vulcans shot 50 percent or above including Mindy Kawaha (3-4), Jenna Waki (3-4), Bree Olson (3-5), Noelle Sua-Godinet (3-4), Sierra Cavaletto (2-4), and Shimizu (5-7).
 
All four lead changes occurred in the first quarter, but when it was all said and done the Vulcans' were on top for the remaining three quarters. UHH once again stretched their lead by as much as 30 points before the game concluded. 
 
UH Hilo capitalized on the Hawks mistakes, scoring 29 points off of their 24 turnovers. UHH continued to press on defense accumulating 12 steals. Mandi Kawaha and Shimizu led the team with three each. 
 
The Vulcans also controlled the boards with 36 rebounds to HNU's 29. Olson and Nikki Miller led on this front with seven apiece. 
 
The UHH bench accounted for almost half of the team's points (34 points total). Largely thanks to Shimizu's 17, but Olson and Sua-Godinet had six each and Cavaletto chipped in five in only nine minutes of play. 

Next up for UH Hilo is Fresno Pacific on Friday, Feb. 18 at the Special Events Center. This will be their first time facing off with the Sunbirds, tipoff at 3 pm HST.