Box Score

ALAMOSA, Colo. — Ally Kvidera and Jessica Norby each scored four goals to lead a balanced attack as Fort Lewis (3-2 overall, 1-0 in league games) opened Western Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association play with a 21-6 win over Adams State (0-3, 0-3) today at the ASC Lacrosse Field.

“We definitely played Fort Lewis lacrosse and that means getting a lot of people involved in the scoring. Nearly half of our goals were assisted,” said second-year FLC head coach Kelsey MacDonald.

Twelve of FLC's 21 goals came off assists, the second most helpers in school history.

Still, the Skyhawk skipper was frustrated by her team's lackluster play in the first half that saw her side lead 8-5 at intermission.

“We didn't come out and play in the first half,” she said. “In the second half, we came out with three goals: to win ground balls, to be smart when we had the ball, and to come up with 50/50 balls.”

Abby Kvidera tallied three scores as Fort Lewis netted the last 13 markers of the contest to turn a close, 8-6 affair into a 21-6 rout. Her twin, Ally, had three assists, while Norby set up two FLC scores.

Kylie Smith (two goals, two assists), Toki Tajima-Prodnuk (two goals, one assist), Amanda Hoffmeyer (two goals), Kathryn Dunn (one goal, two assists), Brook Wineland (two goals, two assists), and Amanda Cawker (one goal) also found their way onto the scoresheet for FLC.

Wineland sandwiched a goal between two by Ally to give the Skyhawks a quick, 3-0 lead in the first 3:37 and it seemed the floodgates were open. But the Grizzlies responded with markers by Megan Daly, Heather Jones, and Lexy Hamilton to tie the game less than seven minutes later. FLC answered with a 4-0 run over the next 12 minutes to take command, 7-3. Wineland, Norby, Hoffmeyer, and Abby netted scores during that stretch.

The stubborn Grizzlies rallied again, cutting the lead in half on a pair by Hamilton before Tajima-Prodnuk answered for FLC with 3:38 remaining in the first frame to make the halftime score 8-5.

MacDonald made a goalkeeper switch at halftime, bringing in Genna Waugh in place of Shelby Wichkoski, who surrendered five goals while making just one save in 30 minutes of work. Waugh saw little action in the second stanza, making one save and allowing just one goal — Hamilton's fourth of the game that brought ASC back to a two-goal deficit 1:34 into the half.

But then the Skyhawks took charge. Ally and Dunn converted free position shots in the next five minutes to get the lead back up to four at 10-6. Smith scored a pair within a 21-second span. Norby added two more, followed by another from Hoffmeyer. When Abby scored the first of her two back-to-back goals with 17 minutes remaining, the lead was up to 10.

The final margin would have been even larger  if not for the efforts of ASC goalie Danica Kristiansen, who made 18 saves, including 12 in the first half to keep the Grizzlies close.

“She's a really good player,” said MacDonald, who instructed her troops at halftime to get the big, 5-foot-11 keeper to move from side to side rather than shooting right at her.

The Skyhawks heeded their coach's words — not just getting Kristiansen out of her comfort zone, but also doing the little things in the second half that lead to victories. Fort Lewis controlled 22 of the draws during the game, losing just seven.

“That's the key to lacrosse, the draw controls,” said MacDonald. “That's one of our goals for the season. It gave us the ball right away and helped us keep the momentum.”

FLC was effective clearing its defensive zone, converting 12 of 14 clearing attempts. And FLC also won the groundball battle, 36-25.

The twins were particularly effective in the midfield, with Ally setting a school record for most draw controls in a game with eight, adding five ground balls and a caused turnover. Abby had four ground balls and one caused turnover.

Paige Juneau led FLC with six ground balls and three caused turnovers to go along with three draw controls.

Wichkoski (1-1) picked up the victory — the first of her collegiate career. In fact, she became the first goalie in FLC history other than Waugh to be credited with a win.

Fort Lewis next travels to Grand Junction for a WILA contest against Colorado Mesa (2-5, 1-2) at 7 p.m. Saturday.