Fort Lewis FLC 9-14,6-11 RMAC

Western Colo. WC 6-16,5-12 RMAC

Fort Lewis FLC

9-14,6-11 RMAC

Final

Feb. 10, 2023

Western Colo. WC

6-16,5-12 RMAC

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	4	F
Fort Lewis FLC	16	13	21	19	69
Western Colo. WC	15	9	9	20	53

Summary
Box Score

JoJo Lutz, Fort Lewis Athletic Communications

Graduate student Kaitlyn Bell had 13 points in the win over Western Colorado

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | 2/10/2023 7:37:00 PM | Angela Roberts, Assistant AD - Communications

Skyhawks complete season sweep of Mountaineers with 69-53 road win

GUNNISON, Colo. – The Fort Lewis College women's basketball team earned a 69-53 win over Western Colorado University on Friday night, aided by double-digit scoring from three players. Fort Lewis improved to 9-14 overall and 6-11 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play while Western Colorado fell to 6-16, 5-12 RMAC.

The Skyhawks shot 40.7 percent (22-of-54) from the field compared to a 39.1 percent (18-of-46) mark for the Mountaineers. Fort Lewis was efficient from three, shooting 45.5 percent (5-of-11) versus a 32 percent (8-of-25) clip for Western Colorado. A difference marker can via free throws where Fort Lewis drained 20 compared to just nine for Western Colorado. Despite 10 lead changes and three ties, the Skyhawks led for nearly 35 minutes of play.

The team was led by junior Kelsey Sorenson who turned in her fourth game with 20+ points, racking up 21 points (6-of-14 FG, 8-of-9 FT) on the night. Freshman Lanae Billy followed with 14 points (4-of-6 FG), followed by graduate student Kaitlyn Bell who finished the night with 13 points (5-of-10 FG).

The Skyhawks began the game by going up 5-0 behind a layup from Bell and a knockdown three by Sorenson. The Mountaineers responded with buckets on three-straight possessions to capture a lead, and the lead swapped sides heading into the late minutes of the opening quarter. Sorenson scored twice to tie the score at 13's, and a three-point play by sophomore Samantha Wattawa put the Skyhawks ahead by three. Western Colorado dropped in the final basket of the quarter to see Fort Lewis ahead 16-15.

The first three minutes of the second quarter saw the lead change on four occasions, including a pair of free throw makes from Sorenson to give the Skyhawks a narrow 21-20 lead with 6:21 to go. Defense ruled the following minutes with senior Alyssa Adams coming away with a pair of steals to hold the score. Billy picked the offense back up with her first three-pointer of the night for a four-point advantage. The half wrapped up with chances from the charity stripe as the half ended in a 29-24 score.

Fort Lewis shot 31.3 percent (10-of-32) from the field in the half compared to a 38.5 percent (10-of-26) clip for Western Colorado. The Mountaineers held a 21-20 edge in rebounds but committed 10 turnovers to just three for the Skyhawks.

The Mountaineers came out of the break with a made three on their first possession, followed by a layup from Adams to extend the Skyhawks' lead. A trio of players chipped in points for Fort Lewis to extend the lead, capped off by Bell's 10^th point of the night to see the score at 40-30 with under five minutes remaining in the quarter. The lead extended minutes later and was capped off by a last-second three from freshman Kate Gallery to send the game into the fourth quarter in a 50-33 score.

Western Colorado hit a quarter-opening three, followed by another three-point burst to make it a 51-39 score with 7:32 on the clock. The teams traded points from there with both sides hitting threes to make it 58-46 with under five minutes remaining in the contest. The Mountaineers scored first out of a timeout to pull within 10, but Sorenson immediately countered with a three-point play to reclaim a 13-point advantage. The Skyhawks closed out the game by going perfect from the charity stripe to earn a 69-53 win.

Fort Lewis (9-14, 6-11 RMAC) is back home on Monday night for a 5:00 p.m. tip-off in a rescheduled game against Black Hills State University (17-5, 12-4).

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