Box Score

ALAMOSA, Colo. — No. 5 Fort Lewis College (14-1-1 overall, 10-1-1 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) scored three goals in the first 37 minutes to cruise to a 3-1 win over Adams State College (4-10-1, 3-7-1) today at Murphy Field.

“During the first half, we played absolutely fantastic,” said fourth-year FLC head coach Damian Clarke.

“Straight up the spine of the team, we were nails today. All four forwards tandemened very well,” he said of his four strikers, Hayley Hollenga, Sara Egbom, Emma Cannis and Kortney Hull.

Taylor Tegtmeyer got the scoring started at 11:03 when she scored an unassisted goal after winning a loose ball in the box. The goal was her second of the season.

“On that first goal, as soon as the ball got played in, the goalkeeper and one of the defenders misplayed it to an extent,” said Clarke. “It was a loose ball that Taylor pushed in.”

While the first marker may have been a bit on the ugly side, the next two were things of beauty.

Hollenga netted her team-leading ninth goal of the season on a bang-bang passing play at 13:39. It proved to be her sixth game-winner of 2010.

“Hayley's goal was fantastic,” said Clarke. “It went from the back into Megan Striedel, who had space and played an in-between ball to Hayley, who finished it.”

Cannis continued the Skyhawks' scoring spree when she and Hull turned some give-and-go magic into her fourth goal of the season at 36:29

“Emma played the ball to Wheaties [Hull], who headed the ball back to Emma,” said Clarke. “She finished it just outside the box.”

Play got a bit rough in the second half, with Adams State amassing 14 of its 21 fouls in the latter frame. Six cautions — three to each side — were also issued in the second half.

“It was an absolute bloodbath,” Clarke said of the second half. “I'm glad that we didn't get a red card and nobody on either team got hurt. I'm not surprised it got a little bit chippy and we gave up a PK.”

A foul in the box on FLC's Michelle Felten led to the penalty kick that resulted in the Grizzlies' lone goal, with just 1:41 remaining in the game. Amber Drumm beat backup Skyhawk goalkeeper Amanda Raso with the penalty shot to notch her fifth goal of the season. Raso was making her career debut Skyhawks, relieving starting goalie Christine Schmelzle for the final 19:55. Schmelzle made one save for FLC; Raso failed stop the only shot she faced.

Adams State's Hannah Kohlts was beaten with the only two shots she faced and was lifted for Oralia Gutierrez after Hollenga's tally. Gutierrez made four saves while allowing one goal in 63:18 of work. Bry Aiken played the final 13:03 in net for ASC and made one save.

Fort Lewis outshot the Grizzlies 24-10, 8-2 in shots on frame.

With two weeks remaining in the RMAC regular season, the Skyhawks find themselves alone at the top, but with Regis breathing down their necks. Fort Lewis has 28 points and a 9-1-1 record (three points are awarded for a win, one for a tie), while Regis has 27 points and a 9-2-0 slate in league play.

Fort Lewis travels to New Mexico Highlands (10-4-2, 7-2-2) at 1 p.m. Sunday. FLC concludes its regular season on Sunday, October 31 when it hosts Regis (12-4-0, 9-2-0) at 1 p.m. at Dirks Field in what could ultimately determine the RMAC regular season champion. The Skyhawks are guaranteed of hosting the RMAC postseason tournament from Nov. 5-7, 2010.