Beavers Battle North Park on Day Two of Big Island Holiday Classic

HILO, HI – The Blackburn College women's basketball team fell to North Park on day two of the UH Hilo Big Island Holiday Classic, 74–59.

Blackburn's key contributors were juniors Eiz Allende Quiñones and Kenadee Frey, along with seniors Zoe Mitchell and Gaby Solis. Allende Quiñones led the team with 18 points and paced the Beavers on the boards with seven rebounds. Frey followed closely with 15 points and six rebounds, while Mitchell added nine points and Solis chipped in eight.

Blackburn battled throughout the contest but ultimately came up short despite several strong individual efforts and momentum swings. The Beavers kept things tight early, trading baskets in the opening minutes as senior Kailynn Kruep, Mitchell, and Allende Quiñones scored in the paint to keep Blackburn within striking distance. Allende Quiñones was active offensively in the first quarter, finishing through contact and setting up teammates as Blackburn responded to North Park's early surge.

Midway through the first half, Blackburn found a spark from the perimeter when Solis knocked down a three-pointer to briefly give the Beavers the lead. Defensive pressure from Frey and junior India Harris helped force turnovers and create transition opportunities, keeping the game competitive heading into the break.

North Park began to pull away in the second quarter, but Blackburn continued to fight. Mitchell and Harris scored inside, while Frey consistently capitalized at the free-throw line. The Beavers showed resilience by generating steals, second-chance points, and ball movement that led to open looks, though North Park's efficiency widened the gap.

In the second half, Blackburn continued to attack offensively behind Allende Quiñones, who scored multiple baskets in the paint and converted key free throws. Solis added another three-pointer, and Frey remained steady at the line, helping Blackburn chip away at the deficit. Despite strong effort on the glass and defensive plays from Kruep, freshman Vicki McGee, and Frey, North Park maintained control down the stretch.

Blackburn's persistence and balanced contributions highlighted the team's competitiveness, even as North Park pulled away late. The Beavers showed flashes of strong defensive pressure, interior scoring, and perimeter shooting that they will look to build on moving forward.

The Blackburn women's basketball team returns to conference play on January 3 against the Red Devils of Eureka.