Sophomore guard Lanae Billy scored 28 points while leading the Fort Lewis College women's basketball team to a 71-58 win over Chadron State
on Friday night in Durango, Colo., even though the Eagles held an 11-4 lead at end of the first quarter when the homestanding Skyhawks made just one of their 19 field goal attempts that period.
The Eagles were at a disadvantage before the game started because two of their top five scorers—
Megan Counts and
Allison Olsen—were ill and could not play unable to play. Things got much worse early in the second frame when their leading scorer and rebounder, all-conference standout Shay Powers, injured her left wrist when she fell to the floor and did not return to action.
The Skyhawks got their offense on track in the second quarter, when they sank five 3-pointers, four of them by Billy, and made six of seven free throws while outscoring Chadron State 23-9 to take a 27-20 halftime lead.
The hosts also had an excellent third stanza, when they were nine of 18 from the field and also made eight free throws to build their margin to 55-40.
Billy was nine of 21 from the field, including six of 15 on 3-point attempts, and went four of five at the free throw line for her 28 points. A year ago when the teams played in Chadron, the 5-7 Billy scored 29 points, but the Eagles won 66-61 behind Powers' 27 points.
Powers had just two points
Friday nightbefore she was forced to leave the game.
Also for Fort Lewis this time, a pair of 6-footers, Kelsey Sorenson and Kate Gallery, added 13 and 10 points, respectively.
Despite missing three of their key players for all or most of the game, the Eagles out-rebounded the taller Skyhawks 46-31, but the visitors turned the ball over 26 times compared to just 10 by Fort Lewis.
Chadron State was led in scoring by
Awoti Akoi and
Camren Morris with 10 points apiece. They also combined to grab 15 rebounds. Also for the Eagles,
Liberty Line added eight points and
Kadyn Comer and
Bria Delimont each had seven.
Fort Lewis is now 9-7 for the season and 6-4 in the RMAC. The Eagles, who are 5-10 and 3-7, will play Adams State in Alamosa
on Saturday night.
Fort Lewis 71, Chadron State 58
Chadron State—
Awoti Akoi 10,
Camren Morris 10,
Liberty Line 8,
Kadyn Comer 7,
Bria Delimont 7,
Kylie Krise 4,
Kyra Tanabe 4,
Olivia Waufle 3,
Riley Shaw 3, Shay Powers 2. Totals: 19-49 (3-9) 17-21 58 points, 46 rebounds, 26 turnovers, 14 assists.
Fort Lewis—Lanae Billy 28, Kelsey Sorenson, 13, Kate Gallery 10, Avery Evans 6, Sadie Misner 5, Sam Wattawa 3, Ember Cervantes 2, Trista Hoobler 2, Luisa Chavez 2. Totals: 22-67 (9-32) 18-24 71 points, 31 rebounds, 10 turnovers, 9 assists.
Chadron State 11 9 20 18 ----58
Fort Lewis 4 23 28 16 ----71
3-pointers: CSC—Comer, Delimont, Shaw, all 1. FLC—Billy 6. Gallery 2, Misner 1,
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