Army Faces Difficulties As They Fall to Air Force

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – The Army West Point women’s basketball team (1-3) fell 61-83 to the Air Force Falcons (3-1) Friday night.

Freshman Fiona Hastick had 12 points while shooting 57% from the field while junior Trinity Hardy also put up 12 points to be the only two Black Knights to score in double digits.

The Black Knights came out hot in the first ten minutes, hitting their first four shots, three of which came from beyond the arc. Reese Ericson, Lauren Lithgow, and Fiona Hastick hit the triples to help give Army the 11-6 lead just three minutes into the game. Trinity Hardy, Sam McNaughton, Camryn Tade, and Soleil Montrose all added buckets of their own to hold the lead as they entered the second quarter leading 23-20.

Ericson, Eng, Montrose, and Hardy combined to score all 12 of Army’s second-quarter points. The Falcons would score four points off turnovers to open up the second ten minutes of play to take the one-point lead. An Ericson three would reclaim the lead for Army. Multiple turnovers led to Air Force points as Milahnie Perry went three for six from the field to lead the Falcons to a 33-28 lead with just over three minutes left to play in the first half. Army fought back before heading into the locker room as Montrose, Hardy, and Eng would tie things up at 35 as both teams went into the break.

Army saw an uncharacteristic third quarter with six turnovers that led to a 12-0 Air Force scoring run to give them the 59-43 lead with a little over two minutes left before the final quarter. Fiona Hastick shot 100% from the free-throw line in the third. Hardy and Smith also scored for Army as they headed into the final ten minutes trailing 46-65.

The Black Knights scored 15 fourth-quarter points led by Sam McNaughton with five as they were not able to complete the comeback and came up short in the 61-83 loss.