TORRiNGTON, Wyo ~~ The Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball team put three in double figures and remained unbeaten in South Sub-region play with a 73-56 win over Eastern Wyoming College Thursday in Torrington, Wyoming.

The Cougars were led by a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds from Sladjana Rakovic. Kalli Feddersen pitched in 18 points while Hannah Sparks had 13.

The big key for the Cougars, who won their eighth straight game, was a 26-point second quarter that saw WNCC open up a 17-10 first quarter lead to 43-30 at halftime. Sparks said they had some slow starts, but won the game with heart.

"The first quarter we were slow moving and in the end we just put in a lot of fight and hustle," she said. "I think we just put in some heart in the sad second half and did what we needed to to get it done. I am proud of the he girls. We worked hard."

While the second quarter was huge for WNCC, the fourth quarter was even bigger. EWC outscored the Cougars 15-7 to come within five net entering the fourth. It was the fourth that the Cougars defense stepped up, holding the Lancers to just 11 points while scoring 23 of their own.

Sparks said the fourth was key.

"Before going out in the fourth quarter we were just up by five and we were like let's pull our heads out and work hard and do what we had to do," she said. "It was more of stopping the ball and playing defense and then then the offense would come to us."

EWC coach Tom Andersen said they had a good third quarter, but had too many turnovers in the game down the stretch.

"The third quarter was really good for us and I thought we played really well," he said. "We got back to within five and then we made too many defensive mistakes and a few turnovers on offense and let them get some opportunities in the fourth quarter. You can't do that against a good team like that. Our kids had a good effort but we just have to eliminate some of those mistakes."

The gamed was tight for several stretches and Andersen said the Cougars second quarter was the difference.

"The second quarter, they offensively got away from us," he said. "We are not. An high scoring team and we can't give up 25 points in a quarter. You have. To credit Scottsbluff especially in the the first half because they knocked down a lot of open shots, a lot of 15 footers. They made the shots and that is why they got the lead and eventually that is why they got the win."

What won the contest for the Cougars was shooting, where they shot 42 percent for the game and connected on three 3-pointers. WNCC's defense also had a big factor on EWC, holding the Lancers to 28 percent shooting. The Lancers did make seven 3-pointers, five from Emily Evans.

WNCC had several players hit big buckets, especially in the second quarter. Besides the three in double figures, WNCC also got got nine points from Bree Paulson and six from Ozge Yarga.

Emily Evans paced the Lancers with 23 points while Lacey Knudson had 12.

WNCC, 15-2, will be back in action today as they host Otero Junior College at 7 p.m. In a South sub-region game. The Lancers are off for over a week.

WNCC (15-2).    17 26 7 23 -- 73
EWC.                  10 20 15 11 -- 56
WNCC
Kalli Feddersen 18, Sladjana Rakovic 12, Hannah Sparks 13, Ozge Yarga 6, Oleida DeLeon 2, Bree Paulson 9, Rylee Ward 3, Mikayla Gonzales 5, Myriam Garcia 4
EWC
Emily Evans 23, Sarah Bersang 6, Carna Prokic 7, Anna Perez 4, Lacey Knudson 12, Lillian Lutter 1, Katrina Terrell 3.