Kearney, Neb. –Third ranked Fort Lewis had six players score in double figures, and shot 61 percent from the field, to defeat Nebraska-Kearney, 99-76, Monday afternoon at the Health & Sports Center.
UNK falls to 5-7, 4-4 in the RMAC, while Fort Lewis improves to 12-0, 7-0 in the RMAC. Fort Lewis, who was national runner up last season, has won the last three meetings, and four of the last five, against the Lopers.
Junior forward Vanessa Leeper (Colorado Springs, Colo.) scored on a layup 15 seconds into the game to give the Lopers a quick lead. After turnovers by both teams, the Skyhawks got its first basket on a layup by post Jenna Santistevan, 45 seconds later, to tie it at two.
Facing a full-court press from the start, UNK took its final lead of the game,4-2, on a jumper by freshman point guard Sarah Hix (Broomfield, Colo.) at the 18:43 mark. FLC then went on a 9-0 scoring run as they got three points a piece from Abby Jackson and Mary Rose Paiz ..
The Lopers battled back to get within one point, 18-17, on a jumper by junior guard Debi Johnson (Elsie) with 10:31 left until halftime. The 'Hawks, however, went on another 9-0 scoring spurt that spanned two and half minutes to give the Skyhawks a 10-point cushion.
UNK kept hanging around, tying the game at 35 all on a layup by junior forward Lea Ann Jameson (Minden) with 1:32 left until the break. The bucket capped an 11-2 Loper run
The tie ended up being the last of the game as Fort Lewis scored a quick eight points, thanks to back-to-back threes, to lead 43-35 at intermission.
FLC shot over 50 percent from the floor (13-25) in the half and was even better from the three pointer line, making 7 of 13 (53.8 percent) shots. They came in averaging just six made threes per game.
On the other side, UNK shot 46.4 percent (13-28), including 28.6 percent (2-7) from behind the arc.
In the second half, the Lopers cut a double digit deficit to nine or eight points five different times, in a four minute span, but would not get any closer rest of the game.
After its three point barrage in the first half, Fort Lewis had 28 points in the paint in the final 20 minutes. They finished the night 36 of 59 (61.0 pct.) from the field and that included a 10 of 20 effort from the three point line.
The Lopers were led in scoring by Leeper, who made 5 of 11 shots from the field and went 6 of 7 at the line to score 17. Senior forward Megan Becker (Beaver City) finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds, her third double-double of the year. Finally, Johnson (13) and Jameson (10) each scored in double figures.
A very balanced Fort Lewis team was led by post Dana Schreibvogel with 20 points and eight rebounds with Paiz supplying 13 points, eight board, six assists and three steals.
Fort Lewis scored 42 points off of 27 turnovers with its deep bench adding 40 points to the Lopers' 19. UNK did out rebound the 'Hawks, 34-30, including a 15-9 edge on the offensive end.
Nebraska Kearney is on the road Saturday night against Chadon State.
