GUNNISON, CO - January 17, 2008 - The Fort Lewis College women's basketball team defeated Western State College 73-64 Thursday night in their fourth win in less than a week. The Skyhawks have now rattled off 13-straight victories breaking the previous FLC women's basketball record of 12-straight wins which was set back in the 1982-83 season. The Skyhawks improve to 16-1 overall and 9-0 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC), while the Mountaineers fall to 8-8 overall and 2-6 in conference play.
The hosting Mountaineers took very little time to take a lead over the nationally ranked Skyhawks. They opened the game with an 8-0 run in the first three minutes and six seconds. The Mountaineers continued to pile on the points as the first half continued taking an 18-5 lead just four minutes later. The Skyhawks' attempts to chip into the lead were unsuccessful until 6:19 remained in the first half. Katie Mackey (Eaton, CO/Eaton) led the Skyhawks on an 11-4 run to close the half and narrow the Mountaineers lead just two at the break. Mackey scored six of the final 11 points in the first half for the Skyhawks.
For the first five minutes of the second half the Skyhawks and Mountaineers exchanged baskets until Fort Lewis took their first lead of the game off a Lauren Redfern (Carbondale, CO/Basalt) lay up with 14:42 left in regulation. Western regained the lead and led by no more then four points until 5:58 left in the half when Mackey connected on a lay up to put the Skyhawks up by two, a lead they would not relinquish. The Skyhawks closed the game with an 18-10 run which capped their 13th-straight victory of the season.
The Skyhawks shot outstanding from the field connecting on 28-of-38 attempts (73.7 shooting percentage) including 8-of-10 from downtown. Fort Lewis also hit 9-of-12 free throws and attempted nearly 20 fewer shots then the Mountaineers.
Allison Rosel (Colorado Springs, CO/Doherty) led the team with 16 points on 6-of-7 from the floor. The sophomore added four rebounds, four steals, two assists and a block in 37 minutes.
Laura Haugen (Fort Collins, CO/Poudre) was second on the team with 14 points. She connected on five of her eight shots and went 3-for-3 from the charity stripe. Haugen added a team-high five rebounds. Mackey and Redfern both finished with 10 points and combined for five rebounds and four steals.
The Skyhawks, who have played four games in the last seven days, now have a full week to prepare for the New Mexico Highlands Cowgirls who come to Durango on Friday, January 25th at 6:00 p.m.
Box Score
