Late Rally Not Enough For Cowgirls

Box Score DURANGO, Colo.- After their first conference win the Cowgirls had to turn around and take on the 11-7, 6-6 Fort Lewis Skyhawks. The Cowgirls would hang in the game but fatigue would set in and they would drop the game 89-80.
 
The Skyhawks would start the game on a 8-0 in the first 3:37. Miranda Martinez got the Cowgirls on the board with a free-three at the 6:23 make it 8-1. The Skyhawks' Dickerson came down a hit a three to make it a 10-point lead. Martinez would then come on down and answer with a three of her own. The Cowgirls would go on a 6-0 run to cut the Skyhawks lead down to four with just 2:15 left in the first quarter. The Skyhawks would then go on a 5-2 run to end the first quarter and lead at the quarter 23-16.
 
The Cowgirls and Skyhawks would trade baskets til the 8:16 mark when the Cowgirls would cut the Skyhawks lead down to six on a jumper by Kaylani Maiava. The Cowgirls would get a stop and feed Maiava again who would then finish with a nice move and draw the foul. She would go to the line and finish the old fashioned three-point play to make it a 30-27 Skyhawk lead. The Skyhawks would get a lay-up to make it a five-point game. The Cowgirls would then get a lay-up by Kylee Reibel and a free throw by Brittany Brown to cut the Skyhawk lead to two. A minute later Giulia Simioni would find Brianna Pribble for a three to give the Cowgirls their first lead of the night. Just 13 seconds later the Skyhawks would take the lead on a lay-up by Reed and a free throw by Brandon to give them the two-point lead. The Cowgirls would battle as Simioni would then find Traynham for the three to give the Cowgirls the one-point lead. The Cowgirls and Skyhawks would trade lead but it would be the Skyhawks would would go into the half with the lead 45-42.
 
Martinez would find Simioni for the first point in the second half as they would tie the game at 45. The Skyhawks would then go on 6-0 run before the Cowgirls would go on a 5-0 run of their own to regain the lead 52-51. With 2:39 left in the third the Skyhawks would go on a 10-5 run to end the third quarter, which would put them up 66-61 going into the last 10 minutes.
 
The Cowgirls would strike first with a three from Traynham to make it a two-point Skyhawk lead. The Skyhawks would not be quiet as they would go on a 16-2 run over 5:30 to give them a 81-66 lead. The Cowgirls had the taste of victory from the night before and wanted to taste it again. Martinez would hit a three with an assist by Traynham, then Trayham would get her points from behind the arc and cut the Skyhawks down to nine. With just 1:28 left in the game a jumper from Maiava would get the Cowgirls to within seven, but that would be the closest they would get as they would drop the game 89-90.
 
Maiava set a career record in points with 21 and rebound 11. This the second double-double of the season, Michelle Tapia had the other one against Oklahoma Panhandle with 10 points and 16 rebounds.
 
They will return to action next Friday at Metro State. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m.
 
 

	New Mexico Highlands	Fort Lewis
Field Goal Percentage	37.7%	45.1%
Three Point Percentage	44.0%	28.6%
Free Throw Percentage	77.3%	73.1%
Rebounds	40	50
Turnovers	13	13
Leading Scorer	Michelle Traynham 24	Dallas Dickerson 24
Leading Rebounder	Kaylani Maiava 11	Alyssa Yocky 12