DURANGO, Colo. – Western Colorado University women's basketball continued its dominant season on Friday night, defeating Fort Lewis College 64-54. It's the first Mountaineer win in Durango, Colorado since the 2008 season.
 
After falling behind 20-18 in the first quarter, Western's perfect road record and four-game win streak came into question. FLC (7-9, 3-7 RMAC) extended that lead to six points, 31-25, midway through the second quarter.
 
Western (11-3, 7-3 RMAC) quickly regained control following five straight points by Tammarrah Gothard and a layup by Taytem Coleman. The Mountaineers went into halftime with a 35-33 lead.
 
Gothard led all players with 11 rebounds. It's the third game this season and second in-a-row Gothard recorded double-digit rebounds.
 
After scoring two points in the first half, Western's leading scorer Samantha Coleman scored nine in the second half to extend her double-digit scoring streak to seven games.
 
Coleman's nine second-half points, along with Katie Najvar's eight second-half points, helped propel the Mountaineers to a 54-41 lead at the end of the third quarter.
 
Najvar led Western in scoring with 12 points in eight minutes off the bench. The senior was 4-of-4 from the field and made 4-of-4 free throws.
 
Western's defense held the Skyhawks to just eight points in the third period and went into the fourth quarter leading by 13 points.
 
In the fourth, the Skyhawk comeback was thwarted and the Mountaineers took a 10-point victory on the road.
 
Western is now 5-0 on the road and is in sole possession of third place in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference standings.
 
The Mountaineers got to the free-throw line 31 times on Friday night, making 80.6 percent (25-of-31) of those attempts.
 
As a team, Western outrebounded the Skyhawks 37-22.
 
The Mountaineers will be looking for their fifth straight win and sixth road win Saturday at Adams State University. The game is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. in Plachy Hall.