Oct. 27, 2021 - RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros women's basketball team fell to the future Western Athletic Conference (WAC) opponent Southern Utah Thunderbirds 80-67 on Saturday at the UTRGV Fieldhouse. Sophomore Sara Bershers led the Vaqueros (1-4) with 23 points, five rebounds, three assists and a career-high tying three steals. She also went a career-best 9-for-9 from the foul line. Graduate student Taylor Muff posted her first-career double-double with 12 points and a career-high 11 rebounds. Sophomore Maria Llorente scored nine points with a career-high tying three rebounds, a career-high five assists, and a career-high four steals. Lizzy Williamson led the Thunderbirds (2-4) with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Samantha Johnston scored 12 points while hitting four three-pointers. Darri Dotson finished with 11 points, eight rebounds and five assists. The Thunderbirds jumped out to an 8-2 lead before a Burcu Soysal jumper and a Tiffany McGarity layup brought the Vaqueros to within two. The Thunderbirds responded with a 9-2 run to go up 17-8. The Thunderbirds led 22-14 early in the second quarter when Bershers hit a three and a jumper and Muff followed with a three and a layup to fuel a 10-0 run to put the Vaqueros up 24-22. Midway through the second quarter, with the score tied at 29, a Soysal jumper and a Llorente three-point play put the Vaqueros up 34-29. The Thunderbirds scored the first eight points of the third quarter to punctuate a 10-0 run and take a 41-36 lead. A Muff three sparked a 7-2 run to tie the game at 43 before the Thunderbirds went on a 13-0 run to go up 56-43. The Thunderbirds led 65-53 with 7:30 remaining in the fourth quarter. Freshman KaCee Kyle hit a three-pointer and then Bershers converted a three-point play as the Vaqueros went on a 10-0 run to pull within 65-63. The Thunderbirds, however, outscored the Vaqueros 15-4 over the final 5:20 to put the game on ice. UTRGV is back in action on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Kansas in a game that will be broadcast on Big 12 Now via ESPN+.