RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Westminster women's basketball team continued their recent success by taking a 61-53 win at South Dakota Mines on Friday night in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play.
 
Westminster (10-12, 7-11 RMAC) extended its winning streak to three straight games, matching its longest winning streak of the season set back in November. They have now won four of the past five games played.
 
The Griffins shot 41.4 percent from the field in a game they led for nearly 35 minutes of action. They grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and turned them into 13 points. Westminster had 12 assists and only nine turnovers and made seven 3-pointers.
 
South Dakota Mines (10-12, 7-11) led 8-7 early in the opening quarter before the visiting Griffins closed the quarter with an 11-2 run. They extended the run with the opening five points of the second quarter to reach the largest lead of the game, 23-10.
 
The Griffins would hold the lead until the 8:39 mark of the fourth quarter when a 3-pointer gave the Hardrockers a 45-42 advantage. Denise Gonzalez answered with a three to tie the game less than a minute later.
 
The home side led 53-51 with 4:22 to play when Aubrie Vale hit a three to put the Griffins ahead for good. That hoop started a Griffin run of scoring the game's final 10 points that featured another bucket from Vale and three free throws by Riley Reidhead.
 
Gonzalez and Reidhead finished the game with 10 points apiece to lead Westminster. Gonzalez hit both of her 3-pointers and recorded four assists and two blocked shots. Vale finished with eight points and six rebounds. Jessica Sorensen had nine points and five rebounds – four offensive – with Mika Pinner going for six points, seven rebounds, and three blocked shots.
 
Westminster held SDSMT to 44.9 percent shooting and only 21 rebounds. They forced 12 Hardrocker turnovers which they turned into eight points.
 
Emily Vandegrift led SDSMT with 16 points in 15 minutes off the bench. Megan Rohrer added nine points and three assists.
 
The Griffins will close this four-game road swing on Saturday when they face Black Hills State at 5:30 p.m. MT in Spearfish, S.D. The game will be broadcast live on Griffins TV at portal.stretchinternet.com/Westminster.