by By Angela Roberts
DURANGO, Colo. – Senior Ember Cervantes was a guiding force for Fort Lewis College women’s basketball on Tuesday afternoon, racking up a career-high 13 points in a decisive 76-46 win over Lincoln University.
The Skyhawks improved to 3-3 overall while the Oaks dropped to 1-4 this season.
Fort Lewis shot a season-high 42 percent (29-of-69) from the field compared to a 27 percent (17-of-63) mark for Lincoln. The Skyhawks benefited from 19 assists which marks the most by a Fort Lewis squad since the 2019-20 season. In addition, the team saw 33 points from the bench and 21 points off of turnovers.
Cervantes led the team with 13 points to go along with four assists and two steals. Sophomore Kate Gallery followed with 12 points and five boards. Redshirt junior Lilly Pepper put up her second-straight double-double with 12 rebounds and 10 points. Sophomore Lanae Billy had a well-rounded outing with six points, six assists, and four rebounds.
Fort Lewis began the game on a tear by going ahead 12-0 through six minutes of play. The team saw points from five different players throughout the scoring run. The Oaks eventually broke through with a layup, but the Skyhawks responded with five more points to make it 17-2. Cervantes ended the quarter with a jumper and a pair of free throws to carry a 21-7 advantage into the second quarter.
Junior Luisa Chavez got on the board to open quarter two with a steal and a jumper to extend the lead. Lincoln saw points at the charity stripe and in the paint over the following three minutes, but freshman Trista Hoobler extended the lead to 34-12 with a three-pointer. Junior Avery Evans and Gallery combined for four points down the stretch as the half ended in a 38-14 lead.
Junior Samantha Wattawa dropped a three out of the break to give Fort Lewis its largest lead of the afternoon. The Oaks followed with a jumper, but Wattawa found success with another corner three to make it 44-16. Lincoln attempted to cut into the lead, cutting it to 24 points late in the quarter, but a three by Billy slowed the momentum and ended the quarter with a 57-27 score.
In the final quarter, Cervantes and Pepper each contributed an early layup to grow the lead to 32 points. The Oaks attempted to chip away at the free throw line with six made shots, but the Skyhawks were flawless at the line to maintain a significant lead. Wattawa was the final Fort Lewis player to score in the contest as time expired on a convincing 76-46 home win.
