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Fort Lewis College Athletics

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Alyssa Yocky
Brian Kortz, FLC Athletics

Women's Basketball Brian Kortz

Women’s Basketball Opens Season With OT Game Against Western New Mexico

Box Score PORTALES, N.M. – Following a late three-pointer by Western New Mexico University to send the game into overtime, the Fort Lewis College women's basketball team regrouped and held a two-point lead with 30 seconds to play when the Mustangs hit another late three and then split a pair of foul shots to take the 70-68 victory Friday night in Portales in the season opener for both teams.

"We have a big learning curve as a lot of our inexperience came through," Head Coach Jason Flores said. "We went 1-11 from the field and 1-4 from three in fourth. There were a few mental mistakes with the inexperience in crunch time catching up to us a little bit. We have to quickly learn from that, as you never want to lose to gain, but we gained some experience from this. At the end of regulation, we let them get that last three off just missing on a switch and give WNMU credit, hit a deep three to tie. We still had a chance at the end of regulation and OT, just didn't get it done."

FLC got off to a great start in the first quarter after WNMU connected on the first three points of the game, the Skyhawks then went on a 15-0 run. Kayla Herrera got things going with a triple two minutes in. Alyssa Yocky added a jumper off a turnover, Sydney Candelaria hit a pair from the line and then a pair of long balls from Alyssa Adams and Herrera set the table for Candelaria to end the run with a jumper at 15-3 midway through the first quarter.

WNMU controlled the second half of the opening quarter, going on a 9-2 run to leave FLC in front 17-12 after 10 minutes.

After the Mustangs go to within two at 22-20, Yocky connected on a three-pointer to keep FLC in front. Yocky added a layup off a turnover and then a jumper by Jordan Carter had the Skyhawk advantage back to nine at 31-22 with 3:33 to play before halftime.

Yocky capped the first half in style, hitting two from the charity stripe and then a jumper in the paint off another turnover left FLC with the 35-28 lead at halftime.

The lead grew to 14 late in the third quarter when Herrera converted a layup off another WNMU turnover. Just when all the momentum was with FLC, WNMU closed the third quarter on a 5-0 run to get back to within nine at 48-39 entering the fourth quarter.

The run continued right into the fourth frame when WNMU scored the first 10 points of the quarter to cap a 15-0 run and take a 49-48 lead with 6:33 to play in the game. The teams then traded leads down the stretch with FLC going back in front by three following free throws by Yocky and Carter.

Holding a 59-56 lead with 23 seconds left, WNMU turned to transfer Paulina Rodriguez who hit a deep three-pointer with nine seconds left to tie the game at 59. FLC had a look at the buzzer, but the three just missed by Herrera to send the game into overtime.

Herrera opened the score in the extra five minutes hitting on a layup 21 seconds in. A Yocky jumper and layup by Carter pushed the Skyhawks out to a 65-61 lead with 2:38 to play. After trading leads, a free throw by Herrera had FLC holding a 68-66 lead with 34 seconds to play.

WNMU turned to Rodriguez and once again she delivered with another three-pointer to move the Mustangs ahead 69-68 with 23 seconds to play. Out of a FLC timeout, Herrera and Carter each took shots in the final seconds that just rimmed out and after WNMU grabbed the rebound, they were able to hit one of two from the line to take a two-point lead. The Skyhawks tried a deep three at the buzzer that wouldn't fall, leaving the Mustangs with the win.

Yocky scored a game-high 19 points to lead the Skyhawks, making 7-12 from the field. She also grabbed four rebounds and dished out two assists. Herrera added 16 points, had five rebounds and three assists. Carter tallied 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds, while Candelaria made it four Skyhawks in double-figures going for 12 points on 4-6 shooting. FLC made 23-63 (36.5) from the field, 6-22 (27.3) from three and 16-27 (59.3) from the foul line.

Cassandra Vickery led four Mustangs in double-figures going for 14 points. Rodriguez had 13, Ciara Fields with 11 and Taylor Allison with 10. WNMU made 20-49 (40.8) from the field, 7-16 (43.8) from three and 23-32 (71.9) from the foul line.

FLC held a 32-26 edge on points in the paint and 14-9 on fastbreak points.

FLC will remain in Portales to face host Eastern New Mexico tomorrow (Saturday) night starting at 7:30 p.m.
 
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Players Mentioned

Sydney Candelaria

#24 Sydney Candelaria

G
5' 8"
Sophomore
Jordan Carter

#32 Jordan Carter

F
6' 1"
Sophomore
Kayla Herrera-Flores

#13 Kayla Herrera-Flores

G
5' 9"
Junior
Alyssa Yocky

#31 Alyssa Yocky

F
6' 0"
Senior
Alyssa Adams

#3 Alyssa Adams

G
5' 7"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Sydney Candelaria

#24 Sydney Candelaria

5' 8"
Sophomore
G
Jordan Carter

#32 Jordan Carter

6' 1"
Sophomore
F
Kayla Herrera-Flores

#13 Kayla Herrera-Flores

5' 9"
Junior
G
Alyssa Yocky

#31 Alyssa Yocky

6' 0"
Senior
F
Alyssa Adams

#3 Alyssa Adams

5' 7"
Freshman
G