SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – Isobel Crosswhite knocked down a 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left and Dominican women's basketball held on for a 71-68 victory Saturday afternoon over Hawai'i Pacific at the Conlan Recreation Center.
 
Keyonee Neal led all players with 17 points to go with five assists, two blocks and two steals for the Penguins (11-3, 5-3 PacWest). Crosswhite added 13 points off the bench to go with a block and a steal, while Sofie Addiego finished with a career-high 10 points to go with three steals. Mya Hatchett led the Sharks (3-10, 2-5 PacWest) with 15 points and thre rebounds with Jalen Samuel adding 15 points and two boards off the bench. HPU hit nine 3-pointers on the game to overcome an early deficit, but the Penguins crashed the boards with 19 offensive rebounds leading to a 14-6 advantage in second chance points to make up the difference.
 
Aryn Bright hit a fastbreak layup and Addiego connected behind the arc near the midway point of the fourth quarter to push the Penguins ahead 64-56 in what had been a close game since the half, but the Sharks were not about to let the game slip away. Hatchett scored four points and Jalen Samuel capped a 10-0 run with a step-back 3-pointer to take a two-point lead with 1:47 remaining. Kaylyn Buchanon found Crosswhite in the paint for two to tie the game and Addiego stole the ball with Neal drawing a foul in transition and hitting a pair from the charity stripe to retake the 68-66 lead with 46 seconds remaining. Hatchett answered with a pair of makes from the free-throw line with eight seconds remaining to tie the game and Dominican took a timeout to set up one last play. Buhcanon took the inbounds and drove down the lane but kicked it out to Crosswhite at the top of the arc who buried the shot with 1.1 seconds left in the game and Hatchett's desperation heave at the buzzer was off target giving the Penguins the win.
 
It was all Dominican to open the game as Alvarado hit a 3-pointer from the left corner off a dish from Buchanon. Neal connected on back-to-back layups and then helped cap the 10-0 opening run with a steal and an assist to Bright on the break with 5:58 left in the first quarter.  The Sharks clawed their way back to a three-point deficit, but Crosswhite scored six points before Buchanon found Adia Walker for a layup to end the quarter on an 11-point run to take a 23-9 lead into the second.
 
Dominican held the double-digit advantage for the first seven minutes of the new period, but Kalysamarie Ng began the 3-point onslaught for HPU with a make from the right elbow and Kyla Hopton added another from behind the arc to cut the deficit to six heading into the final two minutes of the half. Samuel worked her way into the paint for a layup in the final minute for the Sharks and Hopton hit another 3-pointer right before the buzzer to cut the deficit to 36-35 heading to the locker room. Dominican never trailed in the third leading by as many as five points but each time HPU would answer to keep the game within two possessions throughout the period.
 
The Penguins will travel to the islands next week as they look to avenge their loss to University of Hawai'i at Hilo on Thursday at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium in Hilo, Hawai'i with tipoff set for 5 p.m. Hawaiian Time.