Box Score PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Western New Mexico University women's basketball team opened the Grand Canyon Tournament Friday falling to the host Grand Canyon Antelopes, 72-42.


Grand Canyon University (GCU) started strong, scoring the first eight points nearly three minutes in. After falling behind 10-3, Western New Mexico University (WNMU) tallied the next five points behind a three by Kim Clark (Santee, CA/West Hills High School) and a jumper from Morgan Wohltman (Queen Creek, AZ/Highland High School) to make it a 10-8 game at the 15:21 mark.


Wohltman helped get WNMU (1-2) within one, 12-11, two minutes later connecting on a three.


The Lady Mustangs would again get within one at the 12:12 mark on a jumper by Kassie Scott (El Paso, TX/Coronado High School), but again GCU (4-2) would answer, this time with a 7-0 run for a 21-13 lead with nine minutes to go before halftime.


The Antelopes continued with the momentum on their way to holding a 43-22 lead at halftime.


GCU would control most of the second half as well, even though the Lady Mustangs trimmed the deficit to 23 a couple of times early in the second stanza, GCU would answer keeping the lead in the 20's on their way to the 72-42 victory. WNMU closed the game strong on a 4-0 run with Cassie Arias (Silver City, N.M./Silver) making a pair from the line and a jumper from Sasha Montez (Waianae, HI/Nanakuli High School).


GCU shot 50.7 percent from the field (34-67), while holding WNMU to a 27.1 percent effort (16-59). Wohltman led the Lady Mustangs with 10 points, along with one block and two steals. Clark tallied eight points, to go along with two blocks and a steal.


WNMU will conclude the Grand Canyon Tournament Saturday afternoon at 12 p.m. when they will play Minnesota-Crookston. Minnesota-Crookston defeated Fort Lewis, 69-61, Friday.
 
GRAND CANYON 72, WESTERN NEW MEXICO 42
WESTERN NEW MEXICO (1-2)
Morgan Wohltman (Queen Creek, AZ/Highland High School) 4-13 0-0 10; Kim Clark (Santee, CA/West Hills High School) 3-11 1-1 8; Kassie Scott (El Paso, TX/Coronado High School) 3-9 0-0 6;
Veronica Celaya (Chandler, AZ/Williams Field High School) 1-3 3-4 5; Heather Hamilton (Ely, NV/White Pine High School) 2-7 0-1 4; Desiree Young (North Ogden, UT/Weber High School) 1-3 0-0
3; Sasha Montez (Waianae, HI/Nanakuli High School) 1-1 0-0 2; Andrea Reiff (San Diego, CA/Onate) 1-9 0-1 2; Cassie Arias (Silver City, N.M./Silver) 0-0 2-2 2;
Larissa Loera (Mira Loma, CA/Jurupa Valley High School) 0-3 0-0 0; Susie Guerrero (Willcox, AZ/Willcox High School) 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-59 6-9 42.
GRAND CANYON (4-2)
Jones, Judy 7-11 0-2 14; Daniels, Deanna 6-10 0-0 12; Smith, Maylinn 5-8 0-1
10; McDonnell, Asha 4-6 0-0 8; Johnson, Justine 3-4 0-0 7; Paskell, Erica
2-9 0-0 6; Martinez, Briana 2-2 0-0 4; Cannon, Jasmine 2-6 0-0 4; Chilaka,
Petrolina 1-2 1-2 3; Pearson, Jenna 1-6 0-0 2; Young, Kim 1-1 0-0 2;
Ekweozor, Chigozie 0-1 0-2 0; Hagni, Tori 0-0 0-0 0; Grayson, Jasmine 0-1
0-0 0. Totals 34-67 1-7 72.
Western New Mexico............   22   20  -   42
Grand Canyon..................   43   29  -   72
3-point goals--Western New Mexico 4-19 (Morgan Wohltman (Queen Creek, AZ/Highland High School) 2-5; Kim Clark (Santee, CA/West Hills High School) 1-7;
Desiree Young (North Ogden, UT/Weber High School) 1-2; Andrea Reiff (San Diego, CA/Onate) 0-1; Larissa Loera (Mira Loma, CA/Jurupa Valley High School) 0-1; Veronica Celaya (Chandler, AZ/Williams Field High School) 0-1;
Kassie Scott (El Paso, TX/Coronado High School) 0-2), Grand Canyon 3-11 (Paskell, Erica 2-6; Johnson, Justine
1-2; Smith, Maylinn 0-1; Cannon, Jasmine 0-2). Fouled out--Western New
Mexico-None, Grand Canyon-None. Rebounds--Western New Mexico 31 (Desiree
Young 5), Grand Canyon 50 (Jones, Judy 12). Assists--Western New Mexico 7
(Kim Clark (Santee, CA/West Hills High School) 2; Andrea Reiff (San Diego, CA/Onate) 2), Grand Canyon 17 (Johnson, Justine 7). Total
fouls--Western New Mexico 10, Grand Canyon 16. Technical fouls--Western New
Mexico-None, Grand Canyon-None. A-596