SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. -  The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team put four players in double figures and held Laramie County Community College to just 11 points in the second and third quarter in registering a 71-55 win Sunday afternoon at Cougar Palace.
Brynn Sybrant, who finished the contest with 15 points including seven straight to close the third period, said it was a big win for the team as they played well.
“I thought we played very well. We definitely had more ball movement and that just came with us getting used to playing with each other,” Sybrant, the Casper Natrona graduate, said. “I think the win was definitely important just in the fact to prove that we know what we have and use it to our advantage to actually go out there and perform for the people and just prove to ourselves that we can compete with anyone.”
A big key in the win was that all eight players scored in the contest with four in double figures. Zozefine Sipolina finished with 21 points including five 3-pointers. Sybrant was next with 15 followed by Ella Chesta-Carty with 14, and Celina Donyo with 11.
The other thing that stood out was the Cougars’ defense after LCCC took a 9-4 lead. Sybrant said the defense was definitely a key in the win.
“I think our defensive intensity was definitely a key factor in our game,” she said. “We really preached our new approach to defense and I think the last week of practice really helped and enabled us to move forward and go on.”
LCCC jumped on the Cougars 9-4 to start the contest, but the Cougars came back to grab an 11-9 lead. The two teams were tied at 11 and 13. Sipolina hit a 3-pointer late in the first quarter and that gave the Cougars a 16-13 lead and WNCC would never trail again. The Cougars led 20-17 after one.
The second quarter saw LCCC make it 22-20, but WNCC went on an 8-0 run to lead 30-20. The Golden Eagles got to within 30-25, but WNCC put it back to 10 points on a Juseana-Rae Delatori triple and two Sipolina free throws. WNCC led 35-28 at intermission.
LCCC started the third quarter going on an 11-5 run and trailed 40-39. Sybrant close out the third in scoring seven straight points as WNCC led 47-39.
WNCC went up by 15 early in the fourth quarter with an 8-0 run to lead 58-43. LCCC came back and got the lead trimmed to single digits at 64-55, but WNCC closed out the game with the final seven points, all from Ella Chesta-Carty.
WNCC will be back in action Tuesday when the Cougars travel to Torrington, Wyoming, for the Highway 26 doubleheader battle. The women’s game starts at 5:30 p.m. followed by the men’s contest. Sybrant said they need to build off of this win going into Tuesday.
“We will be getting ready to prepare tomorrow (Monday) and then going strong at practice and then just getting our heads strong going into the game on Tuesday,” she said.

WNCC 71, LCCC 55
LCCC 17 11 11 16 – 55
WNCC 20 15 12 24 – 71
LCCC
Selenay Tanik 4, Jessica Taylor 11, Hannah Briskey 19, Nuria Florensa 10, Sabela Carro 6, Julia Sanz Bonet 5.
WNCC
Veralyn Aviles 2, Charisma Johnson 3, Zozefine Sipolina 21, Ella Chesta-Carty 14, Brynn Sybrant 15, Juseana-Rae Delatori 3, Aniaya Burton-Hernandez 2, Celina Donyo 11.