At least twice on Saturday, University of Hawaii at Hilo women’s basketball coach David Kaneshiro could have thought to himself, “Well, it’s just not going to be our day.”
At least twice on Saturday, University of Hawaii at Hilo women’s basketball coach David Kaneshiro could have thought to himself, “Well, it’s just not going to be our day.”
But even after another loss, Kaneshiro thinks the Vulcans have many brighter days ahead.
Alexa Thielman scored 14 points and Ebony Livingston hit two key 3-pointers as Minnesota Crookston pushed past UH-Hilo 69-64 in Honolulu.
Kaneshiro said the Vulcans (0-2) led by five points late in the second half until Livingston provided a couple of timely daggers. She was just 1 of 8 from the floor up to that point.
“We’re not far away,” Kaneshiro said. “We just need to shore up a few things. I feel we’re close and some of these close losses will turn to close wins.”
Senior McKenzie Mangino collected a double-double with 13 point and 10 rebounds for the Vulcans, and Jordan Kealoha, Hayley Reynolds also scored 13 points.
Crookston (1-2) made nearly twice as many trips to the free-throw line as UH-Hilo, finishing 20 of 31.
“They did a good job of getting to the foul line,” Kaneshiro said. “That was a big factor in the game.”
Another was rebounding, especially in the first half, Kaneshiro said. The game was tied 31-31 at halftime.
Saddled by foul trouble, Kirstie Williams scored just four points for UH-Hilo.
“I thought we showed toughness in a hard-fought game that was very physical,” Kaneshiro said.
Thielman collected nine rebounds for Crookston, which overcame 36.7 percent shooting.
Kealoha, a senior point guard, was 5 of 9 from the floor and added six assists. The Vulcans shot 44.6 percent.
College volleyball
Kalei Adolpho and Olivia Magill led the University of Hawaii, which rode balanced hitting to defeat Cal Poly in four sets, 21-25, 25-22, 25-12, 25-16, in Sal Luis Obispo, Calif.
Adolpho finished with 11 kills on .444 hitting, while Magill (.429) made only one error in posting 10 kills.
The Rainbow Wahine (19-6, 11-3 Big West) also got 11 kills from Kalei Greeley and 10 from Nikki Taylor.
Taylor Gruenewald finished with 16 kills for the Mustangs (9-16, 4-11), which were outhit .236-.095.