LINGLE – A coordinated effort by the Eastern Wyoming College (EWC) Lady Lancer offense and defense resulted in a 69-54 conference victory against Gillette College at the final home game of the season on Saturday, February 22.

The game tied at 10 points early in the first quarter before the Lady Lancers pulled ahead by two possessions, 19-15, as the second quarter commenced. EWC never looked back and topped Gillette College in scoring through the next three quarters to clinch a 15-point lead at the final buzzer.

“I thought we played a really solid game,” coach Tim Larsen said. “Our pace was really good against Gillette and I think that was the difference in the game. They are a very physical team that can impact the game from the inside and we did a great job of not only matching their physicality inside but wearing them down by getting out and running. Our ball movement and player movement over the last few games has been excellent and led to a good number of assists each game.”

The first five minutes of the game between EWC and Gillette College resulted in a back-and-forth battle for control of the scoreboard. 

Freshman Yaiza Paredes and sophomore Nikolina Vukcevic both put the Lady Lancers on the scoreboard with inside shots while Vukcevic and sophomore Aliya Tripp each went 2-for-2 at the free-throw line.

The game deadlocked at 10 points before the Lady Lancers went on a 9-5 run, anchored by inside shots from Tripp and Paredes and a deep 3-pointer by sophomore Josephine Vourliotis. Paredes and sophomore Tawny Rodriguez each netted a free throw.

The scoreboard favored EWC by two possessions, 19-15, as the second quarter began.

A fast and furious Lady Lancer offense netted 20 points in the second quarter while a solid EWC defense held the Lady Pronghorn to 14 points.

Vourliotis paced the Lady Lancer offense in the second quarter with a pair of treys. Paredes tossed in four points while sophomore Leamsi Acuna lined up for a 3-pointer. Tripp, sophomore Boden Liljedahl and freshman Ariadna Martinez each collected jumpers while freshman Rhia Saggar scored from the charity stripe.

Defensively, Acuna, Saggar and Vourliotis each scooped up a steal in the second.

The Lady Lancers expanded their lead to 10 points, 39-29, at half.

A physical third quarter widened EWC’s lead to 11 points, 50-39. Paredes tallied four points on offense, Vukcevic three with two each by Acuna and Liljedahl.

The Lady Lancer defense stepped up the pressure in the third with steals by Tripp, Paredes, Liljedahl and Rodriguez.

A 19-15 run by the Lady Lancers in the final 10 minutes of regulation sealed the win for EWC. Six Lady Lancers contributed to the score in the fourth quarter, with six points from Tripp and five by Paredes. Vukcevic, Saggar, Martinez and Rodriguez each drained a close-range shot.

Paredes set the momentum for the EWC offense against Gillette College with 18 points. Tripp also netted double digits with 12 points.

Vukcevic and Vourliotis each collected nine points, Acuna five with four apiece by Martinez and Liljedahl. Saggar and Rodriguez both rounded the tally out with three points.

Martinez dominated the boards with nine rebounds. Acuna and Saggar both delivered three assists.

On defense, Martinez and Tripp each reached up for a block while Paredes picked up three steals.

The Lady Lancers close out the regular season with away games against WWCC on Friday at 5:30 p.m. and Casper College on Saturday at 2 p.m.