SAN ANTONIO — Loryn Goodwin netted a career-high 37 points in her debut for the Roadrunners but wasn't enough as Angelo State handed UTSA an 85-77 loss Friday night at the Convocation Center.
Goodwin went 12-of-25 from the field, including 3-of-6 from behind the arc, and added 10-of-17 shooting from the charity stripe. The junior guard was three points shy from tying the program record of 40 points in a game set by Starlite Williams back in 1986.
Carlie Heineman also posted a career night in the Roadrunners season opener with 17 points on 7-of-15 shooting and added three rebounds, a block and a steal.
Meanwhile, Tesha Smith scored 11 points off the bench, to go along with eight rebounds.
The 24th-ranked Belles (1-0) had four players reach double figures with Taylor Dorsey leading the pack with 22 points.
UTSA (0-1) has now lost back-to-back season openers against Angelo State with the last match-up dating back to Nov. 27, 1993 in a 66-60 loss in the Alamo City.
The Roadrunners hard fought battle began early in the evening after Angelo State sparked an 18-2 run that had the Belles on top 18-8 after Christina Robinson headed to the free throw line at the 5:39 mark.
The Belles led the rest of the way into the second quarter but headed into the locker room trailing the Roadrunners 41-40 after Goodwin sank a 3-pointer buzzer-beater.
Angelo State got the first scoring opportunity in the third quarter on a free throw that tied the score at 41 at the 9:31 mark. A little over a minute later, Smith made back-to-back baskets that put UTSA up 45-44 with 8:24 left to play.
The score flip-flopped three more times and had UTSA leading for the final time at 47-46 with 7:54 remaining, but a pair of free throws by the Belles' Lexi Murphy at the 5:16 mark put Angelo State in the drivers seat. Angelo State led by as many as nine in the fourth quarter with 6:14 left by a score of 71-62.
The Roadrunners will hit the road for their second game in three days when they take on UT Arlington on Sunday at 2 p.m.
