LAS VEGAS, N.M. – The Mustangs showed why they are one of the best field goal percentage defensive teams in the country by holding the Cowgirls to a season low shooting percentage as the New Mexico Highlands Cowgirls (4-13, 3-10 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) lost to Western New Mexico (10-7, 7-6 RMAC) 72-59 Saturday afternoon (Jan. 24) in Las Vegas, New Mexico.
Senior
Anngelina Sanchez scored the first bucket of the game, but RaTanya Newsome quickly knotted the game with a jumper. Redshirt freshman
Michelle Tapia split from the line before the Mustangs scored seven unanswered to take the lead. Down 9-3, junior
Brittany Brown and sophomore
Giulia Simioni hit back-to-back threes to tie the game with 14:51 left in the first half.
Simioni led the Cowgirls with 15 points while Tapia, former West Las Vegas Don, had career bests in points (12) and rebounds (10) for her first double-double of her career. Senior
Jenny Johnson had 10 points. Highlands shot 20-67 (29.9 percent) for the game.
With the game tied, Western New Mexico scored 10 straight to take a 19-9 lead with 12:31 left until half. Ashley Mitchell hit a traditional three before Jade Batelho got three points the hard way. Nalani Hernandez, who narrowly missed a double-double with nine points and 11 boards, hit a fastbreak layup off a Newsome steal. Jordan Gutierrez ended the run with a jumper to give the visitors a double-digit lead.
Johnson hit a triple and senior
Eboni Jacobs made a layup, but the Cowgirls climbed no closer and trailed by double digits the entire second half.
Mitchell led the visitors with 27 points while Newsome added 17.
The Cowgirls return to action next Friday night (Jan. 30) when they travel to CSU-Pueblo. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m.
