Plainswomen fall to Western Wyoming in non-conference finale, 80-58

Western Wyoming used a fast start and steady scoring across four quarters to hand Northeastern Junior College a 80-58 loss in the Plainswomen’s final non-conference game of the season Monday at the Bank of Colorado Event Center in Sterling.

Projected to be a top finisher in the Region IX North standings, Western Wyoming set the tone early, building a double-digit cushion in the first quarter and forcing the Plainswomen to play from behind the rest of the night. Northeastern struggled to match the visitors’ early pace and was unable to string together enough stops to significantly cut into the deficit as the game wore on.

Despite the loss, Northeastern showed progress in key effort areas, particularly on the offensive glass. The Plainswomen collected 11 offensive rebounds, a category they have not been winning in recent outings. Forward Daniela Garcia Gasco was central to that surge, finishing with 13 points and a game-high 15 rebounds as she battled inside and kept possessions alive throughout the night.

Guard Madison Sepeda led Northeastern in scoring with 15 points, providing consistent offense on the perimeter. Off the bench, guard Rebekah Seggerman gave the Plainswomen an additional spark, adding 14 points and helping steady the attack when Western Wyoming threatened to pull away even further. The trio of Sepeda, Garcia Gasco and Seggerman accounted for a significant portion of Northeastern’s 58 points.

While the Plainswomen generated second-chance opportunities and found production from multiple options, missed chances at the free-throw line limited any comeback bid. Northeastern converted just 59 percent of its attempts at the stripe, leaving valuable points off the board in a game where the margin hovered in double figures for much of the second half.

Defensively, Northeastern had stretches of solid half-court play but struggled to consistently slow Western Wyoming’s shooters and cutters, particularly after the hot start in the opening quarter. When the Plainswomen did secure stops, they often turned them into transition chances or inside looks, but Western Wyoming’s early lead provided enough cushion to absorb those runs.

The matchup closed out the Plainswomen’s non-conference slate and provided a measuring stick against one of the Region IX North’s projected top teams. Northeastern now turns its focus fully to conference play, looking to build on the improved rebounding effort and bench scoring while tightening execution at the free-throw line as the schedule shifts to critical league contests.