Box Score DURANGO, Colo. – The Cowgirls were able to score 51 points in the second half, but they were unable to slow down the Skyhawks offense in either half as the New Mexico Highlands University women's basketball team (10-11, 6-11 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) fell to Fort Lewis (13-7, 10-6 RMAC) 108-78 Saturday night (Feb. 8).
The two teams traded baskets the majority of the second half as the home team raced out to a 52-27 edge in the first half. With the Skyhawks up 74-46 in the middle of the second half, senior
Alyssa Lopez hit a pair from the line before sophomore
Leisha Crawford picked up a steal and hit junior
Claudia Meneses for the fastbreak layup.
With four minutes left, freshman
Jacinda Woodruff hit a jumper and Crawford added a lay-up to cut the deficit to 23, but Fort Lewis scored nine unanswered for its largest lead off the ballgame.
Three players reached double figures for the Cowgirls, led by senior
China Smith's 19 points.
Katie Gannon chipped in 18 while senior
TJ Manson scored 10.
Fort Lewis claimed the contest thanks to hitting a blazing 59.7 percent (37-62) of its shots from the field. Highlands was held to 38.9 percent shooting (28-72).
The Cowgirls took an early 3-2 lead on a freshman
Giulia Simioni triple, but the home team answered with seven unanswered. Kalie Magazzeni hit a jumper followed by a fastbreak layup by Ashley Kuchar. Kuchar, who recorded a game-best 28 points, capped the run with a triple.
Crawford hit a three for the visitors to cut the deficit to 16 with 2:22 left in the first half, but the Skyhawks finished the half with nine unanswered.
Five different Fort Lewis players reached double-digits. Besides Kuchar, Christie Groh and Erika Richards had 19. Magazzeni added 14 while Mary Binton came off the bench for 10 points.
The New Mexico Highlands women's basketball team returns to action Friday (Feb. 14) when it travels to Colorado Mesa.
