Fort Lewis FLC 0-1,0-0 RMAC

Eastern N.M. EastNM 1-0,0-0 Lone Star

Fort Lewis FLC

0-1,0-0 RMAC

Final

Nov. 11, 2022

Eastern N.M. EastNM

1-0,0-0 Lone Star

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	4	F
Fort Lewis FLC	21	13	13	11	58
Eastern N.M. EastNM	14	15	20	24	73

Summary
Box Score

David Wilson, FLC Athletics

Junior Kelsey Sorenson led the Skyhawks with 17 points and nine rebounds in the season-opener

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | 11/11/2022 7:30:00 PM | Angela Roberts, Assistant AD - Communications

Skyhawks drop RMAC/Lone Star Conference Challenge opener, 73-58

LAS VEGAS, N.M. – Opening the 2022-23 season at the RMAC/Lone Star Conference Challenge, the Fort Lewis College women's basketball team was topped by Eastern New Mexico University by a 73-58 final from the John A. Wilson Complex on the campus of host team New Mexico Highlands.

Fort Lewis shot 42.3 percent (22-of-52) from the field and 33.3 percent (6-of-18) from three compared to clips of 39.7 percent (23-of-58) and 30.4 percent (7-of-23) for ENMU. The game's difference maker came via the free throws where the Greyhounds made 20 to just eight for the Skyhawks. ENMU also held the 33-28 edge in rebounds.

"Today proved the Kelsey (Sorenson) is a great leader for us, and the work she's putting in behind the scenes is impactful on our roster," said head coach Taylor Harris. "Our leadership will only grow as Alyssa (Adams) is close to returning from injury. We also add experience from players like Brooke (McGee), Ember (Cervantes), and Ava (Strange). The culture on this team is healthy and allows our fresh faces to have people to look up to."

Junior Kelsey Sorenson led the team with 17 points, three shy of a career-high, to go along with nine rebounds. Freshman Lanae Billy had an impressive showing in her collegiate debut, putting up 12 points courtesy of four three-pointers. From there, Fort Lewis had nine additional players score throughout the contest, including points from five newcomers.

"Lanae played with great confidence as a freshman," said Harris. "It's not easy in your first college game, but she did a remarkable job of being aggressive and poised under pressure. She's going to be a great Skyhawks, and this is just the beginning."

It was all Fort Lewis in the opening three minutes of play as the team jumped ahead 11-0. Billy and Sorenson were responsible for the scoring, first with a layup by the senior which was followed by back-to-back threes by the freshman phenom. The Greyhounds earned their first points of the season courtesy of free throws from Deja Adrian, but Ruby Sweeny-Spitzeck immediately countered by going 2-of-2 from the charity stripe for a 13-2 edge.

ENMU rallied to pull within four points with three minutes remaining in the quarter, but points from seniors Ember Cervantes and Brooke McGee built the lead back to eight with 47 seconds to go. A pair of free throws by the Greyhounds moved the score to 21-14 in favor of Fort Lewis as the clock ran out. The Skyhawks shot 54.5 percent from the field in the opening quarter, led by Billy who was perfect from three for the first six points of her collegiate career.

The Greyhounds pulled within three 90 seconds into the second quarter, but Sorenson rebuilt the advantage with a driving layup to make it 23-17. ENMU pulled within striking distance again, and again, it was Sorenson who righted the ship with a layup through traffic to make it 25-20 with 6:48 remaining. The teams locked down on defense in the following two minutes of play before ENMU's Deja Adrian hit her first three of the night. Sophomore Sadie Misner answered right back, gathering a pass from Sorenson and knocked down a corner three for a 28-23 score with under five minutes to go in the half.

Billy continued her hot start with her third three, extending the lead to 32-23 off the helper from freshman Ruby Sweeney-Spitzeck. The Greyhounds went on the score on three-straight possessions, bringing it to 32-29 with 1:48 on the clock. McGee righted the ship with her third make of the evening so see a 34-29 lead that would hold true as time expired in the half. Billy and Sorenson tied for the team lead with nine points apiece while Sorenson led all players with eight rebounds.

True to form, Billy opened the second half of play with her fourth three see an eight-point advantage. Shots continued to fall in quick succession coming out of the break as the score shifted to 43-35 as the teams headed into a timeout. ENMU's Adrian put up the first bucket out of the break to give her a game-high 15 points but Sorenson echoed the make with a driving layup, giving her 13 points for a 45-38 score. The Greyhounds continued to pressure the Skyhawks on defense, turning in offensive rebounds to fuel a comeback at the score knotted at 45-45 to force a timeout with three minutes to go.

ENMU made one of two free throws on the following possession to capture its first lead of the night at 46-45. The Greyhounds extended it by two before sophomore Avery Evans ended the Skyhawks' scoring drought with her first make of the game to make it 48-47 with 22 seconds on the clock. The score held as time expired, and the game moved into the final quarter. Free throws were the difference in the quarter, ENMU going 5-of-8 while the Skyhawks did not see an opportunity from the stripe.

Momentum remained in favor of the Greyhounds in the opening minutes of the fourth before a layup by Sorenson had the Skyhawks trailing by five. The deficit extended to nine points with the Greyhounds' sixth three of the contest to force a timeout with under five minutes to play. Ava Strange got the Skyhawks on the board with a free throw, but the ENMU lead sat at 65-54 with 2:56 remaining. Senior Tayla Nez notched her first points of the season with 56 seconds to play, moving the score to 69-58. The Greyhounds scored the final five points of the night to run away with the 73-58 season-opening win.

Fort Lewis (0-1) will turn around to face Western New Mexico University tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. to close out the RMAC/Lone Star Conference Challenge.

"We are going to focus on harnessing the good, positive energy that led up to having a great first half," acknowledged Harris. "This is a great learning experience. A well-coached team may have gotten us in the win/loss column tonight, but the lessons learned go beyond the score. Our focus is completely internal, and we know we have a tough opponent tomorrow. We have to focus on staying stronger together."

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