When WNCC head coach Ryan Davis added the Colorado State Club contest in late January to the schedule, redshirt freshman Katie Vierra had special motives to play the contest.

Vierra, a graduate of Berthoud High School in Colorado, would suit up against her high school teammate and best friend Reece Kraljic one more time. It was a special meaning for Vierra.

“It was a lot of fun (playing against Reece Kraljic),” Vierra said. “I never thought I could do that again just because she wasn’t planning on playing college basketball. I think it was a really cool opportunity and I will never get that chance again.”

At the end of the day, the Cougars got 26 points and six 3-pointers from Zozefine Sipolina while Vierra cashed in three 3-pointers as the 24th-ranked Cougar women earned an 83-34 win over the Colorado State Club team that came into Cougar Palace and played hard for the entire 40 minutes

Vierra said her team started way too slow in the first quarter and even first half but found their groove in the second half.

“I think we came out slow in the beginning. We definitely picked up speed after the first quarter,” Vierra said. “I think we definitely played like a team and it was good to play with people that we don’t usually play with in the rotations.”

WNCC shot just 32 percent from the field in the first half and were just 3-of-12 from behind the arc. The second half saw the Cougars hit for 48 percent from the field and 45 percent (7-of-15) from behind the arc.

“Just like another game, it is just as important to battle the entire time,” Vierra said. “We came into the game expecting a battle.”

The win was a team effort as different combinations of players were on the court all game long and everyone contributed some how whether it was scoring, rebounding, or dishing off assists.

“It means it was a team effort,” Vierra said. “We definitely shared the ball and this game goes to show what kind of team we are.”

The Cougars first-quarter struggles was evident in the first 10 minutes as Colorado State led 7-4 halfway through the opening quarter. WNCC then went on a 9-0 run to lead 13-7 and settled for a 13-10 lead after the period after CSU’s Carlie Ellwood hit a triple at the buzzer.

 The second quarter saw the Rams score the first four points to take a 14-13 lead. WNCC then changed the momentum, going on a 9-0 run to lead 22-14 and then chipped in another 9-0 run after a Ram bucket to lead 31-16. WNCC led 36-18 at intermission after a Arianna Myers 3-pointer and then Laura Montiel had a steal and lay-up.

The third quarter saw WNCC score the first 10 points to lead 46-18. Vierra than buried three 3-pointers in the third as the Cougar led 61-26 after three periods.

WNCC led 69-32 in the fourth quarter when the Cougars went on a 14-0 run that was highlighted by 10 points from Sipolina and a bucket by Montiel and capped off by a Carleigh Pszanka offensive rebound and putback to get the 83-34 win.

WNCC had three players in double figures. After Sipolina’s 26 points, Montiel tallied 12 points and Pszanka had 10 points. Nataly Dunka and Vierra each chipped in nine points.

WNCC, 19-5, will return to action this weekend for key South Sub-region contests when they travel to face Otero College on Friday and Trinidad State College on Saturday.

CSU Club          10 8 8 8 – 34
WNCC                13 23 25 22 – 83

CSU CLUB
Mia Turchi 7, Carlie Ellwood 13, Mia Fleming-Mullins 14.

WNCC
Lidia Hernandez 5, Laura Montiel 12, Adelina Urtane 7, Nataly Dunka 9, Katie Vierra 9, Arianna Myers 3, Asia Mitchell 2, Zozefine Sipolina 26, Carleigh Pszanka 10.