SALT LAKE CITY – The Westminster women's basketball team snapped a four-game losing skid with a 56-53 win over South Dakota Mines on Friday night in the Behnken Field House.
 
Westminster (7-9, 5-7 RMAC) led for most of the night and they held a 31-20 lead with 2:21 to play in the second quarter as Sicilee Williams capped a 10-0 run with a bucket in the paint. South Dakota mines (8-11, 6-8 RMAC) was able to get back in the game with a 14-9 third quarter, including a 10-0 run of their own that had the visitors leading with 2:29 to play in the third.
 
Aubrie Vale took over in the fourth quarter for the Griffins by scoring 11 of the team's 16 points. She connected on a jumper with 21 seconds to play that gave the Griffins the lead by two. After Cooper Courtney made just one of two free throws for the Hardrockers, Vale made two freebies to seal the win.
 
The Griffins shot 34.9 percent in the game and hit 8 of 26 from beyond the arc. They made just three baskets in the third quarter before going 6 of 10 in the fourth. Westminster overcame the 42.3 percent shooting of the visitors by forcing 16 turnovers and only committing nine on their end.
 
Vale finished the game with 17 points to lead all scorers. She had three makes from deep and grabbed five rebounds and five steals. Williams added nine points off the bench for the Griffins while Denise Gonzalez had eight points and three steals.
 
The Griffins finished with 14 assists on 22 made baskets and they had 10 offensive rebounds. S.D. Mines scored 26 points in the paint and they won the rebounding battle, 38-35.
 
Molly McCabe led the Hardrockers with 10 points off the bench.
 
Westminster is back in action on Saturday when they host Black Hills State in the Behnken Field House. Tickets for the 5:30 p.m. MST game are available at WestminsterGriffins.com/tickets.