HONOLULU, Hawai'i — These young Vikings can fight.
 
They proved that Sunday night at the Bank of Hawai'i Classic, coming back to lead late after going down 17-2 at the start of the game. The Vikings still trailed by 10 at 51-41 near the start of the fourth quarter, but went on an extended 20-5 run to lead by five with under two minutes remaining. But that's when the Rainbow Wahine responded, hitting a couple of big three-pointers late to edge the Vikings, 71-68.
 
The finish spoiled what was nearly a perfect fourth quarter for the Vikings (3-1). Portland State went 9-of-10 from the field and 9-of-10 from the free throw line in a 30-point fourth quarter. Esmeralda Morales scored 12 of her team-high 20 points in the fourth while going 3-of-3 from the field and 5-of-5 from the line. Fellow freshmen Alaya Fitzgerald and Mia 'Uhila also scored six each in the fourth, as the three freshmen combined for 24 of the team's 30 points in the final period.
 
"It shows a lot of heart to battle back like that," Portland State head coach Chelsey Gregg said of her team. "We've got to continue to figure out as a team how to get off to better starts, but what a fight. Unrewarded in terms of the W, but definitely built resiliency and confidence that we can handle runs and still fight to get back in the game. Those things will serve us well in the future."
 
In addition to Morales, Fitzgerald scored 12 of her 17 points in the second half, when she also went 2-of-2 from three-point range and 4-of-4 from the line. Fitzgerald's 17 points represented a new career high for the freshman, who also set a new career high with five rebounds, four of which came in the second half.
 
'Uhila, meanwhile, played the majority of the fourth quarter, when she finished with six points on 3-of-3 shooting to go with two assists and a steal. 'Uhila finished with a career-high nine points, for the game, to go with four rebounds, two assists and two steals.
 
"Those three [Morales, Fitzgerald and 'Uhila] grew up a little more tonight and gave us some key buckets down the stretch. I loved the defensive pressure Mia brought for us," Gregg said of the three freshmen.
 
'Uhila kicked off a 9-0 run that saw the Vikings turn a 10-point deficit into a one-point game early in the fourth quarter. 'Uhila opened the run with a layup amid contact, while Morales followed with five straight points that made it 51-48 with 6:52 remaining. 'Uhila grabbed a steal on the next possession, then scored after Morales dished it back to her on a 2v1 fast break. 
 
Morales gave the Vikings their first lead a few possessions later, hitting a three-pointer with 4:42 remaining that put them up 55-54. Hawai'i responded with a pair of free throws to go back up by one, but the Vikings answered with six straight to take their largest lead at 61-56 with 3:19 remaining. Fitzgerald scored the first four points of the run, as she converted a quality assist from 'Uhila, then knocked down a pair of free throws after being fouled on a fast break.
 
Fitzgerald put the Vikings back up by six with another pair of free throws with 1:53 remaining that made it 63-58. 
 
Hawai'i (1-3) got hot from there, however, starting with a three-point play on a second-chance opportunity that made it 63-61 with 1:42 remaining. Hawai'i followed two free throws from Morales with a three-pointer the next time down the floor, bringing them back within one at 65-64. The Rainbow Wahine turned the Vikings over on the next possession, then hit a pair of free throws to re-take the lead at 66-65 with 53 seconds remaining.
 
Savannah Dhaliwal hit a clutch three-pointer from straightaway to put the Vikings back in front, but Hawai'i responded with a three of their own that gave the Rainbow Wahine a 69-68 lead with 16 seconds remaining.
 
The Vikings still had a chance for a go-ahead score, but Hawai'i's Kallin Spiller stole the ball on a pass down low, leading to a pair of free throws for the Rainbow Wahine on the other end. The Vikings had a chance to tie the game with a three with four seconds remaining, but Hawai'i stole the ball again to secure the win.
 
"Heads up," Gregg said of her message to her team afterwards. "We've just got to learn from it, stay disciplined, and we'll be better for it. I'm proud of their effort, just wasn't quite enough tonight."
 
Dhaliwal's late three gave her 11 points in the game, putting her in double figures alongside Morales (20) and Fitzgerald (17). Jada Lewis also added seven points for the Vikings, though she battled through a tough shooting night in which she went 2-of-11 from the field.
 
The Vikings remain on the road for their next game, as they play at Utah Valley Saturday at 11 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. MT. 
 
Game Notes: The Vikings fall to 4-5 all-time against Hawai'i with Sunday's loss…Sunday marked the first game between the two teams since Dec. 18, 2011…Four different Vikings had two steals in the game between Morales, 'Uhila, Syd Schultz and Marina Canzobre…Rhema Ogele led the Vikings in rebounds with seven despite not playing past the first couple of minutes of the second half due to foul trouble…The Vikings started the game just 3-of-21 (.143) in the opening quarter, but then went 20-of-41 (.488) over the final three quarters.