LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE HOLDS OFF TEXAS-PAN AMERICAN
IN WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Contact: Mike Bond, UTPA Assistant Sports Information Director, (956) 381-2240

LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA - Louisiana-Lafayette used every trick in its bag to pull out a 62-54 win over the University of Texas-Pan American's women's basketball team at the Earl K. Long Gym Sunday. The victory was the fifth in a row for the Ragin Cajuns over the Lady Broncs.

The first half belonged to Louisiana-Lafayette as it scored the first nine points of the game. UTPA's Jennifer Piwonka (Jr./Louise, Texas/Louise HS) hit three free throws at the 15:06 mark to put the Lady Broncs on the board after Louisiana-Lafayette had taken a 9-0 lead. The Ragin Cajuns scored five straight points and went to the locker room at halftime with a 37-16 lead.

Louisiana-Lafayette maintained a 15 point lead for much of the second half. Down, 52-37 with 5:19 to play, the Lady Broncs put on a strong run. UTPA outscored the Ragin Cajuns 15-6 over the next five minutes. A jumper by Molly Schamel (Jr./Hector, N.Y./Watkins Glen HS/Yavapai College) made it 58-52 with 23 seconds to go. The Lady Broncs committed two fouls and ULL hit all four free throws to hold on for the win.

Texas-Pan American (7-9) was led by Ashley Roberts (Jr. Hernando, MS/Hernando HS/Butler County CC) who had 15 points, two steals and shot 5-of-9 from three-point range. MaHogany Daniel (Fr. /Corpus Christi, Texas/Mary Carroll HS) had her first start of the season and responded with 10 points and nine rebounds, while Schamel added eight points.

For the Ragin Cajuns (7-5), Anna Petrokova had 27 points, 13 rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots while Tiffany Washington had 15 points and 12 rebounds.

"The story of the game was their two post players," Said UTPA Head Coach DeAnn Craft. "Petrokova just annihilated us in the first half with 18 points and 10 rebounds. She and Washington just controlled the inside on both ends. We did not defend the interior well. I'm really pleased because the last two games we didn't played well in the second half. Tonight we came back hard, but you can't come back from that deep of a hole. We gave Mahogany a start tonight and she had a great game for us."

Texas-Pan American will continue its six game road trip Tuesday evening when they take on Southeastern Louisiana.

WBB-28-04011104