Chicago, Ill. -- Junior Heather Karner (St. Louis, Mo) scored a game-high 21 points and the Penguins staved off a late UIC rally to defeat the Flames, 67-62, on Saturday afternoon at the UIC Pavilion. It marked the first YSU win at the UIC Pavilion since Jan. 28, 2002.

YSU improves to 3-11 overall and 1-3 in the Horizon League while UIC falls to 7-9 overall and 1-3 in the league.

Sophomores Monique Godfrey and Nikita LaFleur each also scored in double figures for the Penguins with 15 and 13 points, respectively.

Clinging to a 65-62 lead, Godfrey's two free throws with 24 seconds remaining gave YSU a five-point lead and iced the Penguins first Horizon League win of the season.

The Penguins owned nine-point advantage, 45-36, at the 15:34 mark then held the Flames scoreless for the next four minutes and bolstered their lead to a game-high 15 points, 51-36, on Velissa Vaughn's lay up at the 12:24.

After a LaFleur lay up put the Penguins back up 13, 63-50, at the 5:06 mark, the Flames began their run.

A jumper by Jacquay Holmes and two 3-pointers by Krystal Hugelier cut the deficit to seven, 65-58, with 1:37 remaining.

Jackie Parker's two charity tosses brought the Flames within five, 65-60, and her layup at with 30 seconds left cut the Penguins lead to three, 65-62.

In the first half, the Penguins shot at a 45.2 percent clip while holding the Flames to a mere 29.4 percent from the field.

Tied at 23-23 at the 8:07 mark, the Penguins scored 10 of the next 13 points to jump out to a 33-26 advantage wit 3:46 left. A 3-point play and jumper by Godfrey and a and a 3-pointer and jumper by Karner gave the Penguins its seven-point edge.

The Flames cut the YSU lead to two, 33-31, after a jumper by Jacquay Holmes and a 3-pointer by Jessie Miller, but the Penguins would not allow the Flames to score over the last 2:40 of the half.

Karner added four charity tosses over the last two-and-a-half minutes to give the Penguins a six-point lead at the half, 37-31.

The Penguins return home to host Detroit, Saturday, Jan. 13, at 5:15 p.m.