One day after falling short in a valiant comeback attempt, UH-Hilo men’s basketball team never had a chance.
Cold shooting in the Pacific Northwest continued to hamper the Vulcans, who were hammered by Seattle Pacific 90-59 on Saturday to close a 1-4 season-opening trip with a third consecutive loss.
Devin Johnson led the UH-Hilo with ten points and four rebounds. Ryley Callaghan came in averaging 21.3 points per game, but the senior was held to just five shots and finished with six points.
UH-Hilo shot just 37.7 percent and was outrebounded 42-21 by the Falcons (3-1).
Tony Miller, a 6-foot-6 forward, powered Seattle Pacific with 22 points and nine rebounds. The Falcons shot 58 percent from the field, including 11 of 22 on 3-point attempts. Miller and Nikhil Lizotte (11 points) each made three 3-pointers.
Leading 39-24 at the break, Seattle Pacific went on a 10-3 run to open the second half, and the closest the Vuls would get was a 17-point deficit before the Falcons poured it on.
Trey Ingram scored nine points and freshman Cleo Cain added eight for the Vulcans.
Callaghan, who scored 22 points in an 84-79 loss to Central Washington on Friday night, was named to the Sodexo Classic All-Tournament team.
Brian Ishola, the team’s leading returning scorer, didn’t make the trip in order to heal an injury.
The Vulcans’ contests against Cal Baptist on Nov. 30 at their campus gym repesent their home and PacWest openers. The women start at 5 p.m., with the men tipping off at 7:30 p.m.
Volleyball: UH-Hilo finished up the season in winning fashion, beating Hawaii Pacific in five sets at home to break a 10-game losing streak.
Sophomore Evelin Solyomvari posted a career-high 14 kills in the 16-25, 28-26, 25-16, 21-25, 15-11 victory in front of 487b fans.
It was the final for seniors Siera Green (five kills), Trixie Croad and Taylor Madrid.
“It was a battle,” UHH coach Gene Krieger said. “It was good to end the season on a high note.”
The win helped the Vulcans (8-18, 6-14 Pacific West Conference) finish 11th in the PacWest, one spot above the Sharks (7-21, 5-15), who lost 11 in a row to end the season.
