Despite shooting a lackluster 34% from the field, the Fort Lewis women's basketball team relied on their stifling defense to secure an 85-40 blowout victory over Lincoln University on Monday night at Whalen Gymnasium.

The Skyhawks (2-3) forced 34 turnovers, which they converted into 41 points, en route to their second win of the season. Lincoln (1-2) struggled to find any offensive rhythm, shooting just 30% from the field and 27% from three-point range.

"The cliché of total team effort really fits today's game," Skyhawks coach Taylor Harris said. "It was really fun, we shot the ball well in the first half. We had a really good flow and good vibes. So much of our success comes from the defensive end and we were really successful defensively and that fueled us on the offensive end."

Sophomore guard Lanae Billy led the Skyhawks with 18 points, 8 steals, and 4 rebounds. Sophomore forward Kate Gallery added 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists. Redshirt junior forward Lilly Pepper had a double-double in just 12 minutes of action, tallying 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Freshman guard Natalie Guanella provided a spark off the bench with 10 points, all of which came in the fourth quarter. Junior guard Luisa Chavez also chipped in with 10 points off the bench.

For Lincoln, Jolie Aguirre led the way with 14 points, while Senaida Barrientos added 11 points.

The Skyhawks jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, thanks in large part to their relentless defensive pressure. They forced 14 turnovers in the first quarter alone and led 20-11 after the first period.

Fort Lewis extended their lead to 49-24 at halftime by continuing to force turnovers and converting them into points. The Skyhawks struggled to score in the third quarter, but they were able to maintain their lead thanks to their defense.

In the fourth quarter, the Skyhawks' bench players stepped up, scoring 24 points to seal the victory.