MOUNTAIN WEST WOMEN: UNLV does it again!

For the second straight year, UNLV claimed the Mountain West tournament championship, as the Rebels topped 10th-ranked Utah, 6-5, in a shootout after they played to a 0-0 tie on Saturday afternoon at Ute Field.

It was the second straight game, the Rebels won in this year's tournament in a shootout, after UNLV advanced past 13th-ranked BYU, 4-1, on Thursday after their semifinal game ended in a double-overtime scoreless tie.

After the teams both converted all five shots in the shootout — Ute Adele Letro got a reprieve when UNLV goalie Alicia Lugo was ruled to have moved too soon when she blocked Letro's attempt — Melissa Crespo sent her shot high over the net and Rebel Armani Rice sealed it, blasting a shot off the crossbar and down into the goal.

''It just took a matter of believing when I was at that line that we were going to win,'' said Rice. ''Though they called Lugo back after her block, when it got back to me as the sixth shooter, I knew I just had to believe in myself and my teammates, and that helped me take the shot, helped me be more confident in my kick.''