Fort Lewis FLC 0-2,0-0 RMAC

Western N.M. WNMU 2-0,0-0 Lone Star

Fort Lewis FLC

0-2,0-0 RMAC

Final

Nov. 11, 2023

Western N.M. WNMU

2-0,0-0 Lone Star

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	4	F
Fort Lewis FLC	12	17	16	15	60
Western N.M. WNMU	15	14	18	22	69

Summary
Box Score

Senior Kelsey Sorenson scored 19 points in the loss to WNMU

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | 11/11/2023 5:06:00 PM | Angela Roberts, Assistant AD - Communications

Sorenson leads Skyhawks with 19 points in loss to Western New Mexico

PORTALES, N.M. – Senior Kelsey Sorenson led all players with 19 points in a narrow, 69-60, loss to Western New Mexico University on Saturday afternoon to close out the Conference Crossover.

The Skyhawks shot 37.7 percent (20-of-53) from the field while connecting on just two three pointers for the contest. The team was 18-of-20 from the free throw line. The Mustangs shot 43.3 percent (26-of-60) from the field and dropped in 13 free throws. Fort Lewis was out-rebounded 38-32 but came away with 12 steals—double the mark for the Mustangs.

Sophomore Lanae Billy backed up Sorenson with 15 points to go along with three steals. Junior Samantha Wattawa led the team with five rebounds, followed by juniors Sydney Bevington and Avery Evans who each had four.

In the first quarter, Sorenson scored on back-to-back possessions to give the Skyhawks a lead. The Mustangs responded with a run to grab the lead while holding Fort Lewis scoreless for nearly four minutes. Sorenson drove to the rim to make it 13-8 with 2:36 remaining, followed by a pair of made layups from senior Ember Cervantes and Evans to make it 15-12 at the end of the quarter.

Wattawa opened the second quarter with two made free throws to pull her team within one. The Mustangs responded with two of their own and maintained a narrow lead through four minutes of play. Sorenson gave Fort Lewis a lead after junior Sadie Misner recorded a steal and fed her the ball. Sorenson and Billy combined for six more points to see a 26-20 lead with under four minutes to go. Free throws made up the next three minutes, but the Mustangs ended the half with a pair of layups to knot it up at 29-all.

Out of the halftime break, Sorenson combined for a layup and three pointer to give Fort Lewis a 34-29 edge. The Mustangs responded with five points to tie it again, but Billy gave her team another lead moments later. Bevington drained two free throws at the 5:40 mark to tie things at 38-38, but the Mustangs answered back with four points to reclaim a lead. Billy drained her first three of the game with 46 seconds remaining, and WNMU echoed the success with a three as time wound down to carry a 47-45 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Skyhawks kept it close in the first two minutes of the final quarter, but the Mustangs saw momentum which led to a 59-47 lead with six minutes to play. Billy snapped the scoring streak with a layup, and Sorenson followed with a pair of free throws to pull the Skyhawks within eight. The Mustangs extended the lead again, this time with a layup and three-pointer, to make it 64-53 with 2:18 on the clock. Redshirt junior Lilly Pepper and freshman Trista Hoobler combined for four points to see a 66-57 score with one minute to play. The teams exchanged free throws down the stretch, and Cervantes ended the game in a 69-60 final with two makes from the stripe.

Up Next
Fort Lewis will make its home debut on Friday, November 17 against Northern New Mexico. The teams tip off at 3:00 p.m. from Whalen Gymnasium. The pair will face off again on Saturday with a 1:00 p.m. start. The Skyhawks are 12-0 all-time against the Eagles, and the streak includes an 80-70 win in last year's home meeting.

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