Colorado Mesa CMU 7-11,6-6 RMAC

Fort Lewis FLC 6-11,3-8 RMAC

Colorado Mesa CMU

7-11,6-6 RMAC

Final

Jan. 20, 2023

Fort Lewis FLC

6-11,3-8 RMAC

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	4	F
Colorado Mesa CMU	14	15	19	13	61
Fort Lewis FLC	9	17	6	16	48

Summary
Box Score

JoJo Lutz, Fort Lewis Athletic Communications

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | 1/20/2023 9:16:00 PM | Angela Roberts, Assistant AD - Communications

Skyhawks open home weekend with 61-48 loss to Mavericks

DURANGO, Colo. – Slowed by a pair of dominant Colorado Mesa University quarters, the Fort Lewis College women's basketball team fell in a 61-48 final in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play on Friday at home.

Fort Lewis dropped to 6-11 overall and 3-8 in league play while Colorado Mesa improved to 7-11, 6-6 RMAC.

The Skyhawks were held to a .264 field goal percentage, their second-lowest mark of the season. The Mavericks put up a .453 field goal percentage and the teams combined for just four three-pointers. Colorado Mesa outrebounded Fort Lewis by a 42-30 margin, but the teams were equal with nine offensive boards apiece. Fort Lewis forced 16 turnovers and racked up 10 steals.

Junior Kelsey Sorenson led the team with 12 points and six rebounds (five offensive). Sophomore Avery Evans followed with 11 points to go along with five rebounds. Freshman Lanae Billy matched Sorenson with three steals. Colorado Mesa's Olivia Reed led all players with 16 points while Monica Brooks came away with nine rebounds.

The Mavericks got out to a hot start in the first quarter, going up by six before a jumper from Evans got the Skyhawks on the board. Colorado Mesa did not fade away though and benefited from a pair of layups on the following possessions to make it a 10-3 game. Fort Lewis chipped away at the free throw line, sinking five to pull within four with three minutes to play. Sophomore Samantha Wattawa added a free throw to close out the quarter with a 14-9 score.

Fort Lewis found its footing in the second quarter thanks to solid play on both sides of the ball from Sorenson. The junior scored six-straight for the Skyhawks to pull the home team within a pair with 7:45 on the clock. The Mavericks did just enough to maintain a lead, though, and used a three-pointed to go up 23-19 with under three minutes remaining in the half. Fort Lewis picked up points from four players down the stretch as the score stood at 29-26 heading into the break.

Despite the second-quarter success, Colorado Mesa carried the early momentum en route to a nine-point advantage after two minutes of play. Sorenson broke the drought with her fourth make of the night, but the Mavericks broke it open with a run to see a 42-28 lead midway through the third quarter. Fort Lewis added free throws down the stretch, but Colorado Mesa carried its largest lead of the evening, 48-32, heading into the final quarter.

An offense-heavy quarter began with a layup from Billy which was immediately countered by a fast break from Mesa. Senior Ember Cervantes knocked down the first three of the night for Fort Lewis with 6:23 remaining in the contest, and the team followed it up with a 4-0 run to see a 56-43 score. Evans ended the game with a jumper in the paint as time expired on a 61-48 final.

Fort Lewis (6-11, 3-8 RMAC) is back home tomorrow for a 5:00 p.m. tip-off against Westminster College (9-9, 7-5 RMAC). The teams faced in mid-December, the final game before the holiday break, and Fort Lewis benefited from a late free throw by Bell to put a bow on a narrow road win. Bell was a consistent presence all game long, putting away 18 points to go along with 12 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. Billy and Adams followed with 14 points apiece. Westminster's Greenwood led all players with 26 points.

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