by Angela Roberts
DURANGO, Colo. – Guided by a career-high 22 points from junior Kelsey Sorenson, the Fort Lewis College women’s basketball team secured a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference win over Western Colorado University on a Winter Wonderland evening inside of Whalen Gymnasium.
Fort Lewis improves to 4-4 overall and 1-1 in the league while Western Colorado dips to 1-6, 0-2 RMAC.
The Skyhawks relied on a defense fourth quarter which saw the Mountaineers connect on just seven points to secure the win. Western was 1-of-10 through the final 10 minutes of play compared to a 4-of-12 mark for Fort Lewis.
Fort Lewis shot 42.6 percent (20-of-47) from the field for the game versus a 45.5 percent (20-of-44) mark for the opposition. A deciding factor in the win came from the free-throw line where the home team connected on 16 for the contest. Another turning point came via offensive rebounds where the Skyhawks came away with 14—second most on the season.
Sorenson was the main difference-maker on the defensive side of the ball, coming away with six offensive boards to give her 10 total for the game. Her ability to clean the glass led to 14 second-chance points for the Skyhawks. Freshman Lanae Billy (Navajo) followed with her third 20-points scoring effort of the season. Graduate student Kaitlyn Bell and sophomore Avery Evans each contributed three assists.
The opening quarter was a low-scoring affair as the score sat 3-2 in favor of Fort Lewis after three minutes of play. Despite the slow start, the teams began to heat up midway through. Billy connected on her first of four three-pointers, followed by a jumper from Sorenson to make it a 12-6 game with under five to go. Sorenson dropped in a trio of free throws down the stretch to close out the quarter in a 15-9 score.
The Mountaineers opened the second quarter with a three to set the tone, but sophomore Sadie Misner mimicked the shot moments later to make it 18-12. The Skyhawks attempted to hold off the surging Mountaineers, but a deep three with 1:30 remaining in the half tied it up 26 all. Western knocked down another one minute later to take the lead and Sorenson closed out scoring with a layup to see her team down by one.
The highest-scoring quarter of the evening opened with five-straight points of the hand of Billy before the Mountaineers found an answer to tie it at 33-33. Western reclaimed the lead and held on to it despite free throw makes from Fort Lewis. Just when it appeared the visiting team would carry a lead into the fourth quarter, Fort Lewis went on a 5-0 scoring run to trail 50-47 with 50 seconds on the clock. Sorenson picked up a clutch rebound in the following possession to set up senior Alyssa Adams for a buzzer-beater three which knotted it up 50-50.
Billy picked up where she left off as the fourth quarter got underway, nailing a three to give her team its first lead since the second quarter. Defense ruled the ensuing minutes as the Mountaineers trimmed the deficit to 55-54 with 4:10 on the clock. The lead finally switched sides on a jumper moments later, but Fort Lewis reclaimed it and never let up. Western attempted to make it close by forcing the Skyhawks to the free-throw line but makes from Misner and Sorenson put the nail in the coffin on a 64-57 final
