HILO, Hawaii -- North Park Women's Basketball delivered its most complete performance of the season, rolling past Blackburn 74-59 thanks to a whole-team effort, sweeping their two games in the Aloha State.
The opening quarter was a tug-of-war, with six lead changes and three ties. Blackburn briefly held a four-point edge at 8:26, but North Park responded with a 7-0 burst fueled by junior forward Caroline Long's inside presence and junior guard Aliyah Hershberger's transition layup. That spurt flipped the scoreboard and set the tone for the Vikings' aggressive approach in the paint. By the end of the first, North Park led 16–15, despite shooting just 37.5% from the field.
The second quarter was the turning point. North Park unleashed a 10-0 run midway through the quarter, sparked by sophomore guard Naomi Kaskavitch's back-to-back threes and a pair of fast-break finishes from Hershberger. Blackburn managed only two field goals in the entire quarter, shooting 15.4%, while North Park hit 52.9% and dominated the glass. The Vikings outscored the Beavers 22-6 in the frame, building a commanding 38-21 halftime lead.
North Park didn't let up after the break. The third quarter showcased their depth, as bench contributions and balanced scoring extended the margin to 24 points, their largest lead of the game, after junior guard Teresa Morrissey drilled a three in the final seconds of the period. Even as Blackburn tried to claw back with a late 9-0 surge in the fourth, the Vikings' cushion was too much to overcome.
What made this win special was its all-hands-on-deck nature. Nine different North Park players scored, and the team piled up 16 assists and 18 steals. They owned the paint with 48 points inside, converted 13 second-chance points, and turned 19 Blackburn turnovers into 14 points. Defensively, they swarmed passing lanes and forced Blackburn into a 35.3% shooting night.
Top Performers
North Park
Blackburn
- Eizaenirys Allende Quinones: 18 points, 7 rebounds
- Kenadee Frey: 15 points, 6 rebounds
- Zoe Mitchell: 9 points, 5 rebounds
What's Next?
North Park (3-7) heads to southern Wisconsin for a game at Beloit College on Tuesday, December 30. Tipoff in Flood Arena is set for 1:00 PMM CT.
