USAF ACADEMY, Colo. - The Air Force women's basketball team opened its 2008-09 regular season with a 73-53 loss to Northern Colorado Friday night at Clune Arena. A 22-0 run by Northern Colorado in the first-half ultimately decided the game early on.

Trailing 15-9 with over 13 minutes left in the first-half, Air Force failed to score over the next 11 minutes and fell behind 37-9 before Brooke Cultra snapped the drought with a three-point basket with three minutes left to go in the half. The Bears took a 43-20 lead at the half.

Northern Colorado shot a blistering 57.9 percent from three-point range, canning 11-of-19 from long distance. The Bears shot 50.9 percent from the field. Colorado Springs native freshman Cassie Lambrecht led UNC with 13 points in just 12 minutes off the bench. Courtney Stoermer added 12 points and Kate Kevorken 11 for the Bears.

Air Force shot a dismal 30.5 percent from the field, including a cold 21.9 percent in the first half.

Sophomore Raimee Beck recovered from a slow first-half to lead the team with 18 points, 15 coming in the second-half. Senior Kim Kreke notched her first-career double-double with 10 points and a career-high 11 rebounds. Beck and Kreke also had four steals apiece to lead the team.


Sophomore Raimee Beck