COLBY, Kan. – The 25th-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball team received balanced scoring from all 13 players as the Cougars opened the season with an 80-56 win over Hesston College Thursday at the Ambassador Classic in Colby, Kansas.
The Cougars balanced scoring saw just two players register double-digit scoring. Myram Garcia of Spain led the team with 12 points. Garcia also pulled down seven rebounds. Oleida DeLeon tallied 11 points.
WNCC also received nine points each from Kallie Feddersen and Zeynep Canbaz.
The Cougars held a slim 16-15 lead after the first quarter before a solid second and third quarter. WNCC outscored Hesston 27-16 in the second 10 minutes for a 43-31 halftime lead.
The second half saw the Cougars defense get tough, outscoring Hesston 17-9 in the third to lead 60-40.
Rebounding was a big key in the win, where the Cougars outrebounded Hesston 60-34. Garcia and Sladjana Rakovic each had seven boards, followed by six from Ozge Yarga, Brooke Zimmerman, and Bree Paulson.
The Cougars shooting wasn't spectacular, making just 38 percent from the floor. WNCC was also 3-of-16 from beyond the arc for 19 percent and just 7-of-16 from the free throw line (44 percent).
WNCC did dish out 12 assists, led by Garcia with two, and had 15 steals, led by Canbaz with four.
WNCC, 1-0, will be back in action Friday when they face Colby Community College before wrapping up the Classic on Saturday against Tabor College junior varsity.
WNCC (1-0) 16 27 17 20 – 80
Hesston 15 16 9 16 – 56
WNCC
Kalli Feddersen 9, Sladjana Rakovic 2, Hannah Sparks 2, Luize Skrastina 4, Zeynep Canbaz 9, Ozge Yarga 6, Kylie Hager 7, Oleida DeLeon 11, Bree Paulson 8, Rylee Ward 3, Mikayla Gonzales 4, Brooke Zimmerman 3, Myram Garcia 12.