POWELL – Solid rebounding and shooting from the free-throw line resulted in a 63-56 double-overtime victory for the Eastern Wyoming College (EWC) Lady Lancers against Northwest College in the opening rounds of the NJCAA Region IX playoffs on Saturday, March 8.

Regulation ended in a 49-49 stalemate. Both teams netted six points in the first overtime period. The Lady Lancers shot 8-for-10 from the charity stripe in the second overtime period to pull ahead of Northwest by seven points and clinch the win.

EWC advanced to the NJCAA Region IX quarterfinals to play Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff on Thursday evening. Results were not available at press time.

Down to the wire

The first quarter between the Lady Lancers and Northwest set the tone for the remainder of the game, ending in a 15-15 deadlock.

Northwest topped EWC in scoring in the second quarter, 12-7, to lead by five points at halftime, 27-22

The Lady Lancers battled back in the third quarter to net 17 points while holding Northwest to 12. Sophomore Leamsi Acuna paced the EWC offense with shots from both outside and inside the perimeter. Fellow sophomore Aliya Tripp nailed a 3-pointer while sophomore Nikolina Vukcevic and freshman Yaiza Paredes both went 2-for-2 from the free-throw line.

Sophomore Tawny Rodriguez and freshman Rhia Saggar both tossed in close-range shots. A jumper by Saggar tied the game at 39 points with 31 seconds remaining in the third.

Northwest opened the fourth quarter with a six-point run to regain the lead, 45-39.

Saggar, Rodriguez and Acuna responded with free throws while Paredes found an opening in Northwest’s perimeter to score and the game tied, 45-45.

Northwest pulled ahead with another bucket before Rodriguez answered back with a jumper. 

A pair of free throws by Rodriguez swung the scoreboard in EWC’s favor, 49-47, with 23 seconds remaining in regulation.

Northwest lined up for an inside shot at 13 seconds and regulation ended in a 49-49 stalemate.

The first overtime period remained tied, 55-55, with Tripp tossing in four points for EWC and Rodriguez two.

EWC took control of the scoreboard in the second overtime period, shooting 80-percent from the charity stripe to clinch the win. 

Free throws included two each by Rodriguez, sophomore Boden Liljedahl and Acuna with one apiece from Liljedahl and Tripp.

Four Lady Lancers scored double digits against Northwest College, led by Acuna with 17 points. Paredes and Rodriguez both collected 12 points with Tripp netting 10. Liljedahl contributed six points, Saggar four and Vukcevic two.

EWC dominated the boards against Northwest, outrebounding the Lady Trappers, 62-41. 

Five Lady Lancers pulled down double-digit rebounds, led by Acuna with 14 and 10 each by Vukcevik, Tripp, Paredes and Rodriguez.

Acuna and Tripp both delivered three assists. Tripp wrangled four steals and Liljedahl three.