Box Score
OREM, Utah — The Fort Lewis College women's basketball team brought more questions than answers into the 2010-11 season, but the Skyhawks proved that their trademark defense and passing are still intact despite losing five seniors — four of them starters — from the 2009-10 squad that finished second at last spring's NCAA Division II national championships.
Fort Lewis exploded for 60 second half points to defeat NCAA Division I Utah Valley University 82-71 tonight at the UVU Events Center.
“We're pretty excited to get the win,” said sixth-year FLC head coach Mark Kellogg. “We really settled in the second half. In the first half we were anxious, nervous and excited — all of those emotions. We just didn't finish some stuff and weren't in sync offensively, but we really battled defensively to keep it close.”
Trailing 29-22 at intermission, the Skyhawks turned an icy shooting performance (nine of 26 from the field, two of 10 from long range) around to set the nets aflame in the second stanza (17 of 28 from the field, seven of 11 from behind the arc).
“We came out in the second half, got the tempo going and forced a lot of turnovers,” said Kellogg. The Wolverines committed 27 miscues on the night.
“We had 24 assists on the 26 baskets, so for us that's the Fort Lewis brand,” he added. “It's what we expect of our kids.”
Kellogg said much of his roster factored into the win.
“Dana [Schreibvogel] was really good inside, Abby [Jackson] got some threes and Mary [Rose Paiz] played pretty well and got some threes,” he said. “Erika Richards came in and had the 14 points in 13 minutes. Andrea Owens kind of settled us.”
Schreibvogel, a 6-foot junior forward from Keenesburg, led Fort Lewis with 18 points, six rebounds and four assists.
Jackson, a 5-foot-4 guard from Tulsa, Okla., and the lone returning starter from last year's team that went 35-4 overall and 18-1 in RMAC games, had 16 points, thanks in large part to four-of-six shooting from three-point land. Jackson ranked third in the NCAA Division II in 2009-10 in three-point shooting (.488). She also added five assists and three steals.
Paiz, a 5-foot-11 small forward from Albuquerque, N.M., added 15 points and a team-high eight rebounds and four steals. She went three-of-six from long distance.
Richards, a 5-foot-9 freshman guard from Mesa, Ariz., had 14 points in her first collegiate action, shooting a blistering five-of-seven from the field. She was also perfect on her two three-point shots and two free throws.
“The two point guards, Alex [Easterbrook] and Kat [Katerina Garcia] were really good for us,” Kellogg added. The two reserve guards combined for eight points, three assists and a pair of steals.
He also credited 6-foot junior center Jenna Santistevan for doing the little things that often go unnoticed in the box score. Santistevan, who had clutch minutes in last year's NCAA playoff run, had four points, four rebounds and four blocked shots despite being limited to 16 minutes due to foul trouble.
“We have our work cut out for us and a lot to learn,” Kellogg said of the victory. “Abby is the only one [accustomed to] her role. Everyone else has a new role, from juniors right on down to freshmen. We've got the big test tomorrow and all we can handle with BYU.”
The Skyhawks, ranked No. 12 in today's USA TODAY ESPN Division II women's basketball poll, continue their three-game exhibition slate against Division I competition when they travel the short distance to Provo, Utah, to battle the perennial Mountain West powerhouse Brigham Young at 6 p.m. at the Marriott Center.
Fort Lewis opens its regular season at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 13 against Eastern New Mexico University in Whalen Gymnasium. The preseason slate also includes a 2 p.m. showdown Sunday at Arizona State of the Pac-10.
