Box Score SILVER CITY, N.M. -- The Western New Mexico University Lady Mustangs battled it out against the New Mexico Highlands University Cowgirls in their last game of the season Saturday afternoon. The Lady Mustangs held off a late charge by the Cowgirls to come away with the 70-67 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory.


It was a slow start for Western New Mexico University (WNMU) in the beginning of the first half. Senior Morgan Wohltman (Queen Creek, AZ/Highland High School) made the first layup of the game four minutes in. Following Wohltman was fellow senior Jelesia Gray (Sierra Vista, AZ/Buena High School) with two made free throws. Senior Heather Hamilton (Ely, NV/White Pine High School) followed Gray with another made layup to jump the Lady Mustangs into the lead at the 15-minute mark, 6-5.


After that, WNMU (5-21, 4-18 RMAC) had the momentum and the lead all first half. At seven minutes left in the first stanza, the Lady Mustangs started a nine-point run on New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU). Senior Kassie Scott (El Paso, TX/Coronado High School) started the run with a made layup assisted by Sophomore Desiree Young (North Ogden, UT/Weber High School). Following Scott was Wohltman making both her free throws to bring the score to 25-19.


Scott added to the run with a three-pointer and Wohltman right after her once again with a layup assisted by Hamilton, to move the score to 30-19 with four minutes left before the break.


WNMU had another nine-point run in the last three minutes of the first half on NMHU (4-22, 4-18 RMAC). Young started this one off with making one of her two free throws. Hamilton followed Young with two from the line.


Scott rebounded a missed jumper by NMHU's Morgan Lee and connected on a jumper to bring the score to 35-23 with a 1:25 left to play in the first half. In the last minute of the half, Wohltman and Scott both make jumpers to bring the score to 39-23 at halftime.


Going into the second half, the Lady Mustangs kept up the pressure. In the first four minutes of the second half, WNMU had their highest lead of the game 48-26.


After that, NMHU began to come back and gain momentum on WNMU. NMHU had consistency and gained a 14-point run. It wasn't until Scott made a three-pointer with 12 minutes to play to end NMHU's run.


WNMU continued to struggle as NMHU began to catch up slowly. With five minutes left in the game, NMHU had brought it to a five-point game with a score of 58-53.


The score consistently stayed within a three to five point gap for the continuation of the game. With a minute left in the game, the score was 64-63. Wohltman laid it in off a press break assisted by Young to bring the score to 66-63. Junior Veronica Celaya (Chandler, AZ/Williams Field High School) makd one from the line to boost the lead to four, 67-63.


NMHU's Nandi Adams made a layup with 28 seconds left in the game to cut it to two. Scott followed by making her free throw shot. NMHU's Alyssa Lopez collected her own miss to put in a layup to bring it to a one-point game, 68-67, with 11 seconds remaining. Scott concluded the scoring with a pair of free throws to extend the lead back to three with eight seconds left. Scott then closed the game on the defensive end with a block on a three-point attempt by Lopez and collected the subsequent rebound to end the game.


It was the final game for five WNMU seniors including Kassie Scott (El Paso, TX/Coronado High School), Heather Hamilton (Ely, NV/White Pine High School), Sasha Montz, Jelesia Gray (Sierra Vista, AZ/Buena High School) and Morgan Wohltman (Queen Creek, AZ/Highland High School).


Scott went out strong scoring a game-and season-high 24 points, as she also pulled down six rebounds. Fellow seniors Wohltman and Hamilton had 19 and 10, respectively.


NMHU was led by Lopez's 15. WNMU shot well from the field, making 21-of-47 (44.7), while NMHU made 23-of-69 (33.3). NMHU made five three-pointers, while WNMU had four. WNMU held a solid edge in free throws, hitting 24 to 16 for NMHU. Turnovers were in favor of NMHU, as they committed just 19 to 28 for WNMU.