LAKE CHARLES, La. – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros women's basketball team picked up its first win of the season on Thursday, defeating the McNeese State Cowgirls 68-60 at the Legacy Center. 
 
UTRGV (1-1) was led by junior Mele Kailahi, who scored a game-high 21 points, including going 6-for-6 at the free throw line, and tied for the most rebounds on the team with eight. Junior Tiffany McGarity added 10 points, and sophomore Deborah Ogayemi scored six with eight rebounds. 
 
The Vaqueros came out on fire and opened up an 8-0 advantage, with Kailahi scoring six of those points in a row. Kailahi and Co. opened up a 15-5 lead midway through the first quarter, but McNeese State (1-1) came roaring back. The Cowgirls closed the frame outscoring UTRGV 8-2 and kept the momentum rolling in the second, taking their first lead at 18-17. 
 
Then, it was UTRGV's turn to go on a run. Kailahi again was the spark for the Vaqueros, scoring six consecutive points to put her team back on top. Ogayemi came up big with rebounds and four straight made free throws, then a jumper from freshman Charlotte O'Keefe grew UTRGV's lead to 10 points again at 29-19. 
 
From there, the Vaqueros never looked back. They led 34-25 at halftime, with Kailahi accounting for 14 points, and were outrebounding the Cowgirls 28-17. 
 
UTRGV shot well from behind the arc and had six different Vaqueros make a three-pointer. They opened up a 44-29 lead in the third quarter and maintained a 10-point lead for the first five-and-a-half minutes of the fourth. 
 
The tenacious McNeese State used good defense to go on another run, cutting UTRGV's lead to 55-51 late in the game. But solid free throw shooting from McGarity and good effort from junior returners Halie Jones and Jena' Williams down the stretch sealed the victory for UTRGV. 
 
The Vaqueros are back in action Tuesday for their home opener at 6:30 p.m. against Northern Colorado at the UTRGV Fieldhouse. 

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