GILLETTE, Wyo. – Western Nebraska Community College and Williston State College entered Thursday's Border contest with a combined 20-1 record and the contest lived up to its billing as the Cougar women handed the Williston team their first loss of the season with a 71-59 win.

                WNCC moved to 10-1 on the season while Williston dropped to 11-1. The Cougars will now face Dawson Community College on Friday before finishing up the classic against Miles Community College on Saturday.

                WNCC, in getting the win, finished with 11 3-pointers in the contest as Helena Kuck buried six treys while leading the Cougars with 18 points.

                Kuck was one of three Cougars in double figures. Mackenzie Joseph finished with 16 points with three treys, while Ebere Egbirika had 11 points.

                WNCC did not start the contest hot as Williston State jumped to a 6-0 lead. Adelina Urtane then hit a bucket followed by a Kuck trey to start a 12-0 run that was capped off by seven points from Ebere Egbirika points for a 12-6 lead.

                After that, the Cougars never relinquished the lead, but the game was close the rest of the way. WNCC led 14-7 on an Egbirika bucket before Williston made it 14-12. WNCC led 22-15 after one period on a Kuck 3-pointer.

                WNCC went up by double digits in the second quarter at 27-14 to start the period and lead 31-19 on a Gal-La Font bucket. Williston State cut the deficit to six, 35-28 late in the second quarter, but Keyla Cervantes nailed a bucket at the buzzer for a 36-28 lead at the break.

                The third quarter was a battle as Williston State outscored WNCC 20-18. The Tetons cut the deficit to two points at 47-45 and later at 48-46. WNCC went on a 6-0 run behind five points from Joseph, including a trey to lead after three quarters 54-48.

                The fourth quarter saw the two teams battle for the first six minutes as Williston cut the deficit to 57-55 before WNCC went up 60-55 on two Joseph free throws with 4:41 to play. The Cougars held the Tetons to just four points in the final five minutes as they closed out the game on an 8-0 run that saw Joseph and Kuck each bury 3-pointers for the 12-point win.

                WNCC out-rebounded Williston 39-36 as Urtane had seven boards while Faith Walker tallied six. Kuck led the way with four assists while Walker had two blocked shots.

Williston (11-1)                15 13 20 11 – 59
WNCC (10-1)                    22 14 18 17 – 71
WILLISTON
Elizabeth Field 7, Allison Kunze 1, Taylor Moffat 7, Allie Garcia 6, Canzas Hisbadhorse 15, Cami Harris 13.
WNCC
Amiyah Donaldson 7, Helena Kuck 18, Gal-La Font 4, Faith Walker 8, Mackenzie Joseph 16, Ebere Egbirika 11, Keyla Cervantes 2, Laura Montiel 2, Kiley Smich 1, Adelina Urtane 2.