RGV Capsules: Scorpions' women golfers back in action in Laredo

The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College women’s golf team begins play Monday in the Jack Brown Memorial Golf Tournament, hosted by Texas A&M International University, at the Laredo Country Club.

The two-day, 36-hole tournament is the first of four spring tournaments for the Scorpions prior to the NAIA national championship qualifier April 22-23 in Oklahoma City.

UTB-TSC won the three-team tournament in 2011. Elizabeth Garza finished first with a two-round total of 167, and Krystal Garza was second with a 168.

"Last year we were able to win this tournament to start our spring semester, which was great," Scorpions golf coach Anthony Lopez said. "Like us, the teams that we will be competing against have improved tremendously and repeating will not be easy, but it is our goal to win this event again."

Krystal Garza, a senior, and Elizabeth Garza, a sophomore, hope to be among the leaders in Laredo. Also participating for the Scorpions will be junior Cat Lira and freshmen Alainey Muro and Veronika Vasquez.

"I am excited to get going again with our women’s team," Lopez said. "The girls learned a lot in the fall about themselves and what it will take for them to qualify for nationals. Each tournament we compete in needs to be a buildup to the national qualifier, and it will be a great bonus if we can get off to a good start."

After the TAMIU tournament, the Scorpions next play at the Schreiner University Spring Shootout on Feb. 26 and 27 in Kerrville.

Hockey

Oilers outlast Bees in wild game

TULSA, Okla. - The Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees scored a season high six goals but allowed a season high nine in a loss to to the Tulsa Oilers on Sunday.

Zac Pearson and Dan Gendur each scored twice for the Bees (20-21-6) in the loss.

Tulsa (22-19-5) scored four goals during the first 10 minutes. Tulsa started the barrage at 3:13 of the first as Jeff Terminesi scored a power-play goal. Terminesi took a David Solway feed in the slot and tapped it five-hole. Just seven seconds later, Tulsa doubled its lead as Dylan Clarke tapped a loose puck to the back of the net.

At 5:28 of the first Tulsa increased its lead to three as Solway scored a goal of his own picking up his own rebound after driving toward the net. Tulsa finished their first-period rally as Gerome Giudice took a rebound off a Tyler Fleck shot and buried it to the back of the net.

After the fourth goal, John Murray was inserted into the game by the Bees. Wylie Rogers made three saves on seven shots.

The Bees scored a goal at the end of the period as Gendur deflected AJ Mikkelsen's shot to the back of the net. The goal was the 17th of the season for Gendur.

The second period was highlighted by a four-goal rally from the Killer Bees, but the rally was bookended by a pair of Tulsa goals to ensure the lead remained with Tulsa.

Trailing 5-1, Pearson scored his first of two goals, deflecting a Mike Wilson shot to the back of the net at 9:23 of the second. Pearson struck again at 13:09 of the period. After taking a Kirill Startsev pass Pearson ripped the shot off the far side post.

The Bees kept rolling as Brandon Campos scored at 17:11 of the second to bring the Bees within one goal, and then less than two minutes later Tomas Klempa deflected Wilson's shot to tie the game at 5.

The Oilers did not stay silent as a bad deflection in the Bees' zone landed the puck on the stick of Mike Ulrich, who scored just 24 seconds after the Bees tied the game. The two teams headed to the locker room with the Bees trailing by one.

In the third period, Tulsa scored the first goal of the frame at 4:21. Troy Ofukany found the back of the net for his first of the game.

The Bees brought the score back within one at 6:03 of the third as Gendur scored his second of the night. Gendur took a Wilson pass to the back of the net. Wilson recorded three assists for the Bees.

Tulsa scored the next two goals, including an empty netter, to pick up the victory.

The Killer Bees return to action against the Evansville IceMen at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday at State Farm Arena.

-- Killer Bees Services