After an Odyssean 12 days and 14 games on the road, Howard Okita's Hawai'i Pacific softball team returned home last night a little worn, but more than ready to defend its place at the top of the PacWest standings.

The Sea Warriors (26-5 overall, 11-1 PacWest) lost their last two games (2-1 to Cal State Monterey Bay and 4-3 to Humboldt State at the Mizuno Tournament of Champions in California) but finished a healthy 9-5 on their lone road trip of the season.

The Sea Warriors could easily have finished the trip 12-2 if not for a trio of late-game losses.

"We were close in three of four games in the tournament but we just couldn't get over the top," Okita said. "The last two games, we were a little drawn out and tired after being on the road for two weeks. We finished 9-5 but we're not really happy with it."

The trip found ace Courtney Kessell (15-2) suffering her first two losses of the season.

"She took it quite hard," Okita said. "I told her we had to do well as a team and that her teammates also had to get us some runs to support her."

Still, Okita has to be pleased with the consistent intensity and focus the junior from Waimanalo has displayed this season.

After compiling a 21-11 record in her first two collegiate seasons, Kessell, an all-state selection and Gatorade Player of the Year at Kailua High School, returned this year with renewed focus and determination.

"I just came in more focused and I realized that I needed to work harder to become more of a pitcher than a thrower," Kessell said. "It was more of a mental thing making sure I knew how to throw against different batters. It was important for me to improve on the mental part of the game and know that I could strike batters out."

Okita said Kessell's evolution has included expanding her pitching repertoire beyond her bread-and-butter rising and sinking pitches.

"In high school, she might face two or three good batters, but in college everybody is a good hitter," Okita said. "One through nine can hit the ball. Now she can throw the screwball and the curve. She just has better command of her pitches."

Against Humboldt State, it was the chilly weather that proved Kessell's undoing.

"By the late innings, it was so cold I couldn't feel my fingers," she said.

That won't be a problem for the remainder of the season as HPU plays its last 18 games in Hawai'i, most against teams currently in the lower half of the standings.

And, to be sure, HPU has enjoyed solid contribution from more than just Kessell. Junior Nicole Riviera, who moved from third base to shortstop during the trip, has proved herself an indispensible defensive presence and solid hitter and senior Nicole Kalakau has been solid at first base all season.

"We always say that we can't take any game for granted," Okita said. "Any team can beat you. We just have to play as well as we can. If we leave it all on the field, we can't complain."

LAST DRIBBLES

BYUH guard Paul Peterson made his last collegiate game a memorable one, compiling seven points, a game-high 10 assists and three steals in 19 minutes at the National Association of Basketball Coaches East-West All-Star Game in Springfield, Mass.

The game was held in conjunction with the NCAA II Elite Eight. BYUH assistant coach Brandyn Akana served as an assistant of the West team. The East won the game 103-97.

Peterson averaged 15 points and 3.7 assists in helping the Seasiders reach the NCAA II West Regional championship game this season.

Meanwhile, BYUH's do-everything post player Lucas Alves added to his impressive resume with a spot on the NBCA Div. II All-West Region Team.

Alves was previously named to the Daktronics All-Region team and relieved All-Region All-Academic Honors.

The sophomore from Brazil led the PacWest in scoring with 20.2 points per game and ranked third in rebounding with an average of 8.3 per game.

Joining Alves on the NABC West-Region Team were Carl Arts and Luke Cooper of Alaska Anchorage, Devin Peal of Humboldt State, Marlon Pierce of Cal State San Bernardino and Larry Gordon of Cal Poly Pomona.