HILO, Hawai'i – Dominican women's basketball started strong and never trailed in an 82-60 victory over University of Hawai'i at Hilo on Thursday night at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.

Junior guard Keyonee Neal led the Penguins (12-3, 6-3 PacWest) with a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds to go with two blocks and four assists. Julilanne Cotterill added a career-high 13 points and three assists with Mahliya Wilson adding 13 points as well off the bench. Kalie Cruz finished with a game-high 22 points for the Vulcans (5-8, 3-5 PacWest) but they were not able to replicate their hot shooting in San Rafael as Dominican held them to 36.5% from the field.

The Penguins caused havoc on defense to begin the game forcing four turnovers resulting in a quick 8-0 run within the first three minutes of the game and forcing a Vulcan timeout. Dominican continued to move the ball well on offense as Aryn Bright hit a 3-poitner from the right elbow to keep the run going and Neal found Cotterill running down the lane in transition to push the lead to 13-0. UHH finally found some offense clawing back within eight, but Alyssa Alvarado found her stroke and hit a pair of 3-pointers to extend the Penguin lead to 23-10 with 1:18 remaining. Kimberly Macias answered with a pair of 3-pointers to finish the half for the Vulcans cutting their deficit to seven heading to the second quarter.

The teams traded baskets for seven minutes in the second quarter until an offensive board gave the ball back to Dominican and Neal spun past a defender and laid it in for the first consecutive points by either team to take a 37-26 lead. Cruz made an acrobatic layup for the Vulcans to briefly get back within single digits, but another offensive board set Neal up for a short jumper to answer. After a defensive stop, Neal grabbed the rebound after a defensive stop throwing the ball ahead to Cotterill who found Bright under the hoop for another layup at the buzzer to give the Penguins a 41-28 lead as they headed into the locker room.

Dominican started the second half much like they did the game as it attacked the paint with Cotterill and Neal scoring six quick points to extend the lead to 19 within the first 90 seconds. Wilson ended the 10-0 run with a short jumper to push the lead to 51-28 as the Penguins looked firmly in control. Melanie Hiu knocked down a 3-pointer and Kacie Febo-Santiago connected on a long jumper to pull the Vulcan back within 17 but Dominican outscored UHH 6-1 down the stretch to take a 64-42 lead into the fourth.

The Vulcans scored the first seven points of the fourth to cut the Penguin lead to 15, but once again Dominican had the answer as Isobel Crosswhite scored the next four before Wilson split a pair of defenders for an open layup to push the lead to 70-49 with seven minutes left in the game. UHH could not close the gap any further as the Penguin bench closed out the victory.

Dominican will travel to Oahu next as it takes on Chaminade on Saturday to conclude its road trip at McCabe Gym in Honolulu with tipoff set for 5 p.m. Hawai'i Time.