RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros women's basketball team dropped its Western Athletic Conference (WAC) home opener to the California Baptist University Lancers 82-61 on Friday at the UTRGV Fieldhouse.
 
Sophomore Sara Bershers led the Vaqueros (4-8, 0-3 WAC) with a career-high 25 points while hitting four three-pointers to go with a career-high eight rebounds and three blocks. Graduate student Amara Graham scored 14 points with six rebounds and three assists. Junior Jordan Lewis posted her first-career double-double with 12 points and a career-high 15 rebounds.
 
Caitlyn Harper led the Lancers (17-0, 9-0 WAC) with 24 points, eight rebounds and one block. Taylor Wu scored 14 points while drilling four three-pointers. Tiena Neale finished with 12 points. Ana Olaeta posted a double-double with 10 points and 13 assists.
 
The Lancers hit 14 three-pointers in 37 attempts (37.8%).
 
The Lancers hit nine of their 12 shots to jump out to a 22-7 lead. The Lancers still led by 15 at 22-7 toward the end of the first quarter, but Bershers closed the quarter with a jumper and opened the second quarter with a three as the Vaqueros went on a 9-0 run to pull to within 26-20.
 
The Lancers pushed their lead back into double-figures at 36-25 before Lewis and Bershers hit back-to-back threes to make it a five-point game.
 
The Vaqueros were still within five at the start of the third quarter, down 38-33, but the Lancers went 5-for-7 from behind the arc to outscore the Vaqueros 21-10 during the period to push the game out of reach.
 
UTRGV and California Baptist complete the series on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the UTRGV Fieldhouse. UTRGV Athletics is capping capacity at the UTRGV Fieldhouse at 255 fans made up of current UTRGV students, season ticket holders, corporate partners, and families of student-athletes and coaches. Doors open at 12. For more information about game day, visit GoUTRGV.com/game-day.
 
Fans can also watch for free online at WACDigitalNetwork.com.

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