WNCC women fall to EWC by two

                 The Eastern Wyoming College women’s basketball team put four players in double figures, but it was a late steal and bucket buy Lizette Heredia to register a come-from-behind 65-63 win over Western Nebraska Community College Friday in Torrington, Wyo.

                Late in the game there were a couple of clutch plays. First, with the score tied at 56-56, Lyndie Puckett hit a clutch trey for a 59-56. Later, with EWC up 62-61, Puckett hit another jumper to give WNCC a 63-62 lead with a minute to play.

                The big play, though, came next from Heredia, who recorded a steal with 22 seconds to play and drove the court for an easy bucket and a 64-63 lead. Courtney Dollison then hit one of two free throws with 4.4 seconds. WNCC had a chance to tie the contest or go ahead a couple times, but committed costly turnovers.

                Early, WNCC held control. The Cougars held a 14-2 lead early behind the inside play of Lile Havili, who had 10 early points. The Cougars kept the Lancers from making any big runs as they raced to a 37-29 halftime lead.

                WNCC kept the edge early in the second half as he held a 48-38 lead with 13 minutes to play on back-to-back Shalisa Moffit buckets and an Angela Vigil trey. WNCC held a 51-43 lead when the Lancers made their first big run, going on a 10-0 run to take their first lead of the game at 53-51 since scoring the opening bucket.

                From there it was a dogfight to the end.

                The Lancers shot 43 percent from the field compared 38 percent for the Cougars The Lancers had five treys to WNCC’s four. The Cougars out-rebounded the Lancers 48-31. Havili led on the boards for WNCC with 10.

                The Cougars had just two in double figures. Havili had the double-double, collecting 16 points to go with her 10 boards. Moffit also chipped in 11 points.

                The Lancers had four in double figures. Cross led the way with 13 points and seven rebounds. Heredia had 12 points with four steals, while Dollison and Kara Babola each had 11 points.

WNCC (15-5)                      37 26 – 63

EWC                                       29 36 – 65

WNCC

Laurin Rivera 6, Shalisa Moffit 11, Lyndie Puckett 5, Abi Lujan 3, Angela Vigil 9, Ashley Stevens 9, Kaylee Biddell 2, Lile Havili 16, Olivia Vogel 2.

EWC

Asia Roper 2, Joanna Perez 7, Jordan Nelson 7, Courtney Dollison 11, Lizette Heredia 12, Clara Vinton 2, Brittany Cross 13, Kara Babola 11.