PHOENIX, Ariz. – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros women's basketball team won its program record sixth road game of the season, 68-66 over the Grand Canyon University Antelopes on Saturday at Antelope Gymnasium.
 
The previous record of five road wins had been accomplished in 2012-13, 2004-05 and 1984-85.
 
The Vaqueros are now 14-10 for the first time in program history, one win ahead of last year's record-setting pace that saw the team finish a program record 19-15. The Vaqueros are also 6-3 in Western Athletic Conference (WAC) play for the second year in a row.
 
Junior Shawnte' Goff led the Vaqueros with 20 points, six rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Senior Rickell Preston scored 16 points with eight rebounds and five assists. Sophomore Hildur Björg Kjartansdóttir scored 11 points with a career-high tying 12 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season. Junior Lile Havili scored a career-high 10 points.
 
Dana Jones led the 'Lopes (12-13, 4-5 WAC) with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Cheyenne Hedrington scored 11 points.
 
The Vaqueros got off to a strong start, leading 3-0 on a three-pointer by Goff and 5-2 on a layup by freshman Tristan Murphy.
 
The 'Lopes came back to take their own three-point lead on a Jones three that made it 12-9 with 3:36 remaining in the first quarter.
 
The Vaqueros trailed 14-13 two minutes later when junior Lile Havili made a jumper and two free throws and Kjartansdóttir made a jumper to put the Vaqueros up 19-14. The Vaqueros took their largest lead of the half midway through the second quarter when Goff hit a layup to make it 25-18.
 
With their lead cut to four early in the third, the Vaqueros went on a 15-4 run to take a 43-28 lead on a Goff three at the 4:59 mark.
 
The Vaqueros led 51-37 after a layup by Preston in the opening minute of the fourth quarter, but the 'Lopes scored the next 10 points as part of a 12-1 run to pull within 52-49 on a Courtney Hayes jumper.
 
It was still a three-point game at 57-54 with 5:02 left, but Goff nailed a three to spark a 6-0 run as the Vaqueros push the lead back out to nine. Jones hit a pair of layups to bring the 'Lopes within two, and then, after a Preston layup, Hedrington made a three to make it a one-point game at 65-64, but that's as close as they got.
 
The Vaqueros are back in action on Saturday at 1 p.m. when they host Missouri-Kansas City in a game that will be televised lived throughout the state of Texas on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel (323). Fan are encouraged to think pink for breast cancer awareness by purchasing "Vaqueros for the Cure" t-shirts for $10 to show their support of breast cancer research. All t-shirt sales proceeds will go to the Renaissance Cancer Foundation. Fans in attendance will also have the chance to win a pink themed gift basket, dinner for two, or a sweet pastries basket from Corner Bakery Café. Doors open at 12.

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