Eagles land a win against Skyhawks
By Eben Rosentrater – Sports Editor
The CSC women’s basketball team rallied hard to win in close 66-61 victory over the Fort Lewis Skyhawks, of Durango, Colorado last weekend.
Despite a recent string of lopsided battles for the Eagles, the team was able to bounce back in order to claim a much-needed victory on a less than favorable season.
Friday’s game against the Skyhawks started strong for the Eagles. Chadron quickly jumped out to a commanding lead, controlling the game with offensive prowess.
The team scored 19 points in the first quarter alone after Kyra Tanabe, redshirt freshman of Hawai’i Kai, Hawaii, hit a pair of 3-pointers.
Another pair of jump shots by Kadyn Comer, sophomore of Hill City, South Dakota, and Emily Achter, senior of Melbourne, Australia, put the game firmly in Eagle control.
The Eagles’ good luck from the field would continue through the first half.
Near perfect shooting from Ashayla Powers, sophomore of Longmont, Colorado, would also help the Eagles push to a 16-point lead heading into halftime.
However, the Eagles struggled in the second half, scoring just nine points in the third quarter, allowing the Skyhawks to comeback within seven points going into the fourth.
The game remained close for the rest of the second half, but the Eagles’ final five-point lead was just enough to award them the 66-61 victory.
It was the Eagle defense that held the Skyhawks in check throughout the entirety of the game.
The Skyhawks recorded just .274 from the field compared to the Eagles .449 shooting percentage, some of the best defense the Eagles have played all season.
However, that tough defense would not carry into Saturday’s game against the Adams State Grizzlies, of Alamosa, Colorado.
The Eagles and Grizzlies went back and forth for three quarters of play in a game with 10 lead changes and 10 ties. The Eagles led by two going in the final quarter.
However, the Grizzlies would run away with the game in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Eagles 27-17 and creating an eight-point deficit that was too much for Chadron to comeback from.
The Eagles would go on to lose 66-74, falling to 3-14 overall on the season, 3-8 in RMAC play, and remaining 14th in RMAC rankings.
Despite the 1-1 record over the weekend, the Eagles had a handful of reputable individual performances.
Tanabe had a great showing, scoring 30 points between the two games, recording .437 from the field. She assisted for another 12 baskets and recorded four steals.
Samiyah Worrell, senior of Fountain, Colorado, recorded another 22 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds.
However, the Eagles were led by Powers who racked up 46 total points between the two games, averaging .834 from field goal range.
She also recorded 20 total rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and two steals.
Her performance over the weekend was good enough to earn her RMAC Women’s Basketball Player of the Week.
The Eagles will be back in action when they take on the UCCS Mountain Lions, at 5:30 p.m., on Friday, at home in the Chicoine Center.