TAYLORVILLE, Utah – The Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball team captured their ninth win of the season with a 93-54 win over Dawson Community College to wrap up the Salt Lake Classic with a 2-1 record on Sunday.
The Cougars move to 9-3 on the season and had a strong showing on Sunday when they put five in double figures led by 25 points from Lidia Hernandez in claiming the win over Dawson.
On Saturday, the Cougars suffered a 60-45 loss to No. 22 Salt Lake Community College, where the Cougars led after the first quarter and then went cold shooting in the second quarter falling to the Bruins.
WNCC will be back in action this weekend to wrap up the first semester when they have three games in Gillette, Wyoming. The Cougars will face No. 20 North Dakota State College of Science on Thursday, followed by Miles Community College on Friday and then the host team Gillette College on Saturday.
In Sunday's win, the first quarter was equally played. WNCC made the opening bucket and the game was tied at 6-6 but the Bucs never took the lead. WNCC held a slim 14-11 lead after the first quarter.
It was the second quarter were the Cougars put some distance on the scoreboard. Both squads made opening buckets and that was when the Cougars heated up as Lidea Hernandez and Zozefine Sipolina each had treys for a 24-13 lead. The Cougars kept excelling like a fine-oiled machine as Sipolina hit another three and they led 29-17. That was when they went on an 11-0 run that was highlighted by a Laura Montiel triple and the Cougars led 46-21 at halftime.
The third quarter saw the Cougars score the first six points of the period and led 52-21 and closed out the third on a 5-0 run to lead 69-35 after three.
The fourth quarter saw WNCC get opening buckets by Hernandez and Carleigh Pszanka to lead 73-35 and the Cougars never looked back as they got the 93-54 win.
WNCC shot 55 percent from the field and buried eight 3-pointers. WNCC also out-rebounded the Bucs 46-28. Hernandez led the way on the boards with 10 rebounds while Montiel had eight, Nataly Dunka had seven, and Adelina Urtane had six.
Offensively, Hernandez had 25 points on 11-of-17 shooting from the field. Urtane finished with 16 followed by Montiel with 15, Dunka with 11, and Sipolina with 10. Sipolina had three 3-pointers while Hernandez had two triples.
Saturday's loss to Salt Lake was one where the Cougars played well in the first and second half. It was the second quarter that was the telling difference.
WNCC controlled things in the first quarter as they held a 10-4 lead and led 14-11 after one period.
The second quarter was the difference. Salt Lake went up 16-14 and WNCC tied the game at 16-16 on a Urtane bucket. After that, the Cougars were outscored 11-2 to trail at halftime 27-18.
The third quarter was evenly played as Salt Lake maintained the lead at 42-31.
The fourth quarter saw WNCC cut into the deficit and trailed by six, 49-43 after a Montiel bucket with 4:36 to play and then a bucket by Hernandez with 3:10 to play.
Salt Lake responded in the final three minutes, holding WNCC two just two points while scoring 11 points, nine of which were on free throws for the win.
WNCC shot just 36.5 percent from the field and were just 3-of-19 from beyond the arc. The Cougars were also just 4-of-13 from the charity stripe. Salt Lake shot 44 percent from the field and were 5-of-15 from the 3-point arc while converting on 13-of-19 free throws.
WNCC out-rebounded the Bruins 35-32 behind eight from Hernandez and six from Urtane.
Saturday's Game
WNCC 14 4 13 14 – 45
Salt Lake 11 16 15 18 -- 60
WNCC
Helena Kuck 1, Laura Montiel 4, Adelina Urtane 9, Zozefine Sipolina 13, Nataly Dunka 8, Lidia Hernandez 10.
SALT LAKE
Simran Williams 13, Ahnica Russell-Brown 10, Laura Di Stefano 15, Fabiana Poindujour 3, Blanche Toualeu 2, Amaleise Maharaj 3, Ines Babaya 5, Jenne Rodriquez 9.
Sunday's Game
WNCC 14 32 23 24 – 93
Dawson 11 10 14 19 – 54
WNCC
Helena Kuck 5, Laura Montiel 15, Adelina Urtane 16, Zozefine Sipolina 10, Nataly Dunka 11, Lidia Hernandez 25, Asia Mitchell 4, Carliegh Pszanka 7.
DAWSON
Eirinie Chatznikoi 9, Marion Serramalera 8, Jerel White Grass 8, Taylor Evans 6, Lucia Godoy 8, Jasmine Half 1, Imari Humphrey 8, Sule Turkemen 4, Mariake Achtun 2.