The Fort Lewis College women’s basketball team led Eastern New Mexico University 21-13 after the first quarter and 34-29 at halftime, but was unable to hold on. The Greyhounds rallied in the second to half to win both teams’ season opener, 73-58, in the RMAC/Lone Star Conference Challenge on Friday at New Mexico Highlands University.
Junior Kelsey Sorenson led FLC with 17 points, three shy of a career-high, and nine rebounds. Freshman Lanae Billy put up 12 points courtesy of four three-pointers in her collegiate debut. Brooke McGee scored seven, and eight other Skyhawks chipped in points, including five newcomers.
“Today proved Kelsey (Sorenson) is a great leader for us, and the work she's putting in behind the scenes is impactful on our roster,” said head coach Taylor Harris. “Our leadership will only grow as Alyssa (Adams) is close to returning from injury. We also add experience from players like Brooke (McGee), Ember (Cervantes), and Ava (Strange). The culture on this team is healthy and allows our fresh faces to have people to look up to.”
It was all Fort Lewis in the opening three minutes of play as the team jumped ahead 11-0. Billy and Sorenson were responsible for the scoring, first with a layup by the senior, followed by back-to-back threes by the freshman phenom.
“Lanae played with great confidence as a freshman,” Harris said. “It's not easy in your first college game, but she did a remarkable job of being aggressive and poised under pressure. She's going to be a great Skyhawk, and this is just the beginning.”
The Greyhounds earned their first points from the free-throw line, but Ruby Sweeney-Spitzeck immediately countered by going 2-of-2 from the charity stripe for a 13-2 edge.
ENMU rallied to pull within four points with three minutes remaining in the quarter, but points from Cervantes and McGee built the lead back to eight and the FLC led 21-14 after one on 54.5% shooting from the field.
The Greyhounds pulled within three early the second quarter, but Sorenson rebuilt the advantage with a driving layup to make it 23-17. A Sorenson layup through traffic then made it 25-20.
After ENMU's Deja Adrian hit a three, sophomore Sadie Misner answered right back, gathering a pass from Sorenson and knocking down a corner three for a 28-23 score.
Billy’s third three extended the lead to 32-23 off a helper from Sweeney-Spitzeck. The Greyhounds scored on three-straight possessions, bringing it to 32-29 with 1:48 left. McGee’s third bucket made it 34-29 heading into the break.
Billy opened the second half with her fourth three. Shots continued to fall in quick succession and FLC went up 43-35, then 45-38 on a Sorenson driving layup.
The Greyhounds, however, continued to pressure the Skyhawks on defense and knotted the score at 45-45 with three minutes to go in the third.
Sophomore Avery Evans ended the Skyhawks' scoring drought, but FLC went into the fourth trailing 49-47.
Free throws were the difference in the quarter, with ENMU making 5-of-8 and FLC 0-of-0. Sorenson and Graci Kolka both fouled out for FLC.
ENMU extended its lead to nine on its sixth three with under five minutes left. Ava Strange and Tayla Nez made some baskets for FLC down the stretch, but the Greyhounds scored the final five points to run away with the 73-58 win.
Fort Lewis will be back in action at 4 p.m. Saturday against Western New Mexico University to close out the RMAC/Lone Star Conference Challenge at NMHU.
