Box Score
DURANGO, Colo. — Katerina Garcia and
Stephanie Beeman combined for 41 points off the bench to lead No. 7 Fort Lewis (4-1 overall, 1-0 in the
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) to an 81-65 win over UC-Colorado Springs (5-2, 0-1) tonight in Whalen Gymnasium.
Garcia went 6-of-11 from the field, 3-of-5 from behind the arc, and 6-of-8 from the foul line while adding five assists. She set new career highs for points (21), field goals, and three-pointers.
Beeman was a near-perfect 7-of-8 from the field and 5-of-6 from long range, setting new career standards for points (20), field goals, and three-pointers.
“Kat and Beeman played at a high level tonight,” said seventh-year FLC head coach Mark Kellogg. “She's worked really hard for a night like tonight,” he said of Beeman, a player whose role the past two seasons changes almost on a nightly basis.
“She finally got going a little bit,” he said of Garcia, a third team All-RMAC selection a year ago who has been plagued with a variety of injuries during fall practice and the early stages of the 2011-12 campaign. “We obviously know she's that type of player.”
On the strength of Beeman and Garcia, the Skyhawks knocked down an even dozen three-pointers on 26 long-range attempts (46.2 percent).
The scrappy Mountain Lions managed to stay close by matching the Skyhawks on the boards (each team had 32 rebounds), drawing fouls (FLC committed 22), and making their most of their chances from the line. UCCS sank 22 of 28 free throws (78.6 percent).
“That's a solid team,” Kellogg said of UCCS, a squad that has already beaten traditional powerhouses Winona State (Minn.) and West Texas A&M in nonconference play.
The Mountain Lions trimmed FLC's lead to four on a Hannah Knight layup with 3:42 remaining in regulation. Back-to-back Beeman treys stretched the lead back to double digits, though, in the next 27 seconds to stretch the lead to 69-59.
“I'm happy with the win,” said Kellogg. “I thought our effort was really good and execution at times was good. We get into lulls and lose focus. We get these leads and still can't people away.”
Kellogg received a blue collar effort from Preseason RMAC Player of the Year
Dana Schreibvogel, who finished with 15 points, five rebounds, three steals, and a pair of assists. Schreibvogel went 7-of-8 from the free throw line — a place she rarely visited in FLC's first four games, a stretch that saw her shoot just 11 charity shots.
“We've been talking to her a lot about getting to the line more,” said Kellogg. “That was a workmanlike effort.”
UC-Colorado Springs had three players hit double digits —Sammi Gentile (12 points, seven rebounds), Jessica Brown (10 points, five rebounds, four steals, three assists), and Ashley Miller (10 points, five boards).
Fort Lewis continues its brief homestand when it hosts Colorado State-Pueblo (4-1, 1-0) at 5:30 p.m. in Whalen Gymnasium. The ThunderWolves defeated Adams State (1-4, 0-1) 67-57 tonight in Alamosa.
