Dodge City women's basketball opened the season with a pair of victories, topping Laramie County and Western Nebraska at the WNCC Classic in Scottsbluff, Nebraska.
The Conquistadors opened the season with a 51-43 win over Laramie County, using a 27-17 second half to secure the win. The season-opening win makes Head Coach
Landon Steele 6-0 in season openers at Dodge City, while the program has won eight straight season openers. The road trip wrapped up with a victory over the host of the classic Western Nebraska, winning 76-63 using strong second and fourth quarters.
Under Coach Steele the Conqs are 28-3 in regular season non-conference play.
The Conqs are back in action on November 6
th-7
th as they travel to Odessa, Texas to compete at the Odessa Classic to take on Midland and Odessa.
Won 51-43 vs Laramie County
The Conqs held an early lead riding their defense to stymie Laramie County and force turnovers but the three-point ball helped Laramie County hold a 12-11 lead after the first quarter and then 26-24. The Conqs continued to be pesky on defense and some shots started to fall as a late surge in the third quarter helped the Conqs outscore Laramie County 16-8 and lead entering the fourth. The Conqs finished the contest off behind an 11-9 fourth quarter to secure the 51-43 in the season opener.
Conqs shot just 31.3% in the season opener but held Laramie County to just 28.9% shooting while forcing 30 turnovers. Defensively, the Conqs swiped the ball 21 times.
The scoring was balanced, with eight players recording four to nine points each.
Jordi Perry tallied nine points with eight steals and five rebounds, while
Chanel Enriquez-Paea added nine points.
Saje Evans finished with eight points, four steals, and three rebounds.
Jennifer Mailei tallied seven points, while
Jade Célérier added five points with seven rebounds, two steals, and two assists.
Won 76-63 at Western Nebraska
Back and forth throughout the first quarter, the matchup with Western Nebraska went to the Conqs, and it was even at 18-18 after the first 10 minutes of action. In the second stanza, the Conqs took control, outscoring Western Nebraska 16-1 to carry a 34-19 lead into halftime. Western Nebraska didn't go away, closing the gap in the third quarter behind a 25-13 frame and making it a five-point game entering the fourth quarter. The Conqs once again put together a strong quarter as they controlled the rest of the contest finishing strong with a 29-19 fourth quarter to secure the 76-63 victory.
The Conqs shooting was strong at 46.2%, while also hitting 20 free throws. Defensively, the Conqs held Western Nebraska to just 37.5% shooting.
Célérier paced the Conqs with 20 points on 5-10 shooting and 8-10 from free-throw line, while Enriquez-Paea chipped in 17 points off the bench going 4-8 from three-point range. Evans added 10 points and five rebounds, while
Victoire Mercier added 10 points.
