Early in Saturday’s second half, the Fort Lewis women’s basketball team struck some fear into the unbeaten, third-ranked, first-place CSU-Pueblo team. When the Skyhawks turned it into a one-possession game, the ThunderWolves showed why they have yet to be beaten this season.
After trailing the entire first half and by five at the halftime, Fort Lewis came out in the third quarter and quickly made it a two-point game. However, the response from CSU-Pueblo (23-0, 17-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) was a vicious one, as it put up a 23-4 run that blew the game wide open before en route to a 66-50.
ThunderWolves’ guard Tuileisu Anderson was difficult to contain and led all scorers with 26 points. Katie Cunningham had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, while Molly Rohrer also had 12 points.
“We’re a good team and we were playing good ball just to stay close,” Fort Lewis head coach Jason Flores said. “They hit us with a big haymaker there in the second half and that was it.”
Kayla Herrera was the only Fort Lewis player in double figures with 13 points.
Fort Lewis trailed by five points after the first quarter and the advantage stayed the same at halftime. The Skyhawks (16-6, 11-6 RMAC) cut the ThunderWolves’ lead down to one possession twice early in the third quarter, but the home team came alive and scored the next nine points to retake command.
Having lost point guard Shelby Patterson to a leg injury and already without reserve Kelsey Wainright, an FLC comeback was a tall order. As the ThunderWolves heated up, the Skyhawks went cold. CSU-Pueblo pushed the lead to double digits by the end of the third quarter and ran away in the fourth.
“We just kind of ran out of gas,” Flores said. “I was kind of disappointed that we didn’t hang on a bit longer than we did, but we just have to tip our hats to them for putting us away. That’s what good teams do.”
Alyssa Yocky had nine points and led FLC with eight rebounds. Natalie Stilwell pitched in nine points off the bench.
Fort Lewis will try to get back to its winning ways back at FLC’s Whalen Gymnasium at 5:30 p.m. Friday against Western State.
jfries@durangoherald.com
