The Mustang

Issue date: 3/11/05 Section: Sports

Media Credit: DeAnna Smith Tamara Goodliffe plays her last game as a Mustang. She ended the season with the highest steals and rebound average.

Western New Mexico University's Women Basketball Team completed their 2004-2005 season on March 5, 2005 in the Mustang Fieldhouse against their rivals the Montana State Billings. This game marked the end of a long and strenuous journey faced by the Lady Mustangs. The girls ended the season 5-21. Although WNMU was challenged by many obstacles along the way this did not put a damper on their spirits, as Porcha Haney demonstrated, "Even though I was only able to play three whole games before having a knee injury that put me out this year, the team had a way of making me feel needed, on and off the court." The Lady Mustangs were able to maintain a positive attitude and continue to play with an enormous amount of heart and determination. The girls wrapped up their season with three heart wrenching losses.

February 19, the Lady Stangs' faced Florida Gulf Coast University at Alico Arena in Ft. Myers, FL. Florida Gulf Coast University dominated WNMU in all aspects of the game. However, it was the free throws that hurt the Mustangs in the end. Western scored 37.7 % from the field and 35.3% from the arch, whereas Florida Gulf shot 44.6% from the field and 37.5 % behind the arch. Florida shot an impressive 78.6% from the free throw line while the Mustangs shot only 44.4%. Natalie Lara led the way for the Stangs' with ten points followed close behind by Maria Jose Amador with seven. Western fell to Florida 60-97.

After more than a week to rest up, on March 3, the Lady Mustangs challenged their opponent from the northern country, the Montana State Billings. Although this time Western had home court advantage, the fate of the Mustangs did not prove to be much different. WNMU was defeated 55-44. The Lady Mustangs did start out strong, however. The girls trailed by only three points at the close of the first half; in spite of this, they could not maintain their rhythm for the second half. They ended the night shooting 26.2% from the field and only 12.5% from the three point arch. Montana State, on the other hand, ended the night averaging 30.0% from the field and 36.4% from behind the arch. Crystal Smith and Janel Joy led WNMU with ten points. Tamara Goodliffe was just shy of a double-double with 11 rebounds and eight points on the night.

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