Box score (PDF)    

ABILENE-In a wild fourth quarter Hardin-Simmons was able to put the brakes on a Sul Ross rally and defeat the Lady Lobos, 72-71 Thursday night.

Jonette Jackson (Killeen/Shoemaker) led the scoring effort with 18 points and posted a team high eight rebounds.

Ashley Minjarez (El Paso/Irvin) and Shannon Villanueva (San Raman, CA/California) scored 15 and 12 points respectively in the effort.

Sul Ross shot a better than average 48 percent from the field against HSU who welcomed the return of leading scorer Kourtney Holyfield to the lineup.

Holyfield was held to just seven points on the night and entered the game against SRSU averaging 16.4 points per game including an 11.6 points per game average against conference competition.

The Lady Lobos and Cowgirls were tied seven times in the first quarter before HSU closed the period with a 4-0 run to lead 23-17.

Both teams kept the outing tight in the second quarter but the Cowgirls were able to maintain the momentum and hold Sul Ross to a three-point deficit at intermission, 38-35.

A 10-0 run by the home team down the stretch of the third resulted in a 57-47 HSU lead heading to the fourth quarter.

A three-pointer by Levelland's Mia Ochoa cut the Cowgirl lead to three with 5:23 left in the game.

A Minjarez jumper from beyond the arc at 1:51 pulled Sully to within a deuce, trailing 68-66.

The Lady Lobos scored the final bucket of the contest with a layup by Jackson at 30 seconds as Hardin-Simmons claimed the 72-71 victory.

Sul Ross falls to 4-17 on the year and 1-10 in ASC play while the Cowgirls improve to 9-12 and 6-5.

The Lady Lobos will face McMurry Saturday in a 1:00 p.m. ASC contest from Kimbrell Arena in Abilene.