The Northwest College women’s basketball team’s most recent road trip didn’t go as planned. 

Entering the weekend 3-3 in Region IX play, the Trappers played away games against Western Wyoming and Laramie County, losing both games. The weekend kicked off Friday with a 78-74 loss to the Mustangs, and two days later, the Trappers lost again, this time 74-61. 

In the WWCC loss, Northwest couldn’t find a rhythm for the first three quarters. 

“We just weren’t ready to go,” head coach Camden Levett said. “I give Western Wyoming a bunch of credit; they made a bunch of shots, and we didn’t.”

With two minutes remaining in the contest, NWC took its first lead of the game, but it was short-lived. WWCC hit a few key shots and knocked down its free throws to escape with the four-point win. 

The Trappers struggled from the field in the first three quarters, shooting below 40%, but Shelby Tarter played a sound offensive game. The sophomore led NWC with 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting.

“Shelby [Tarter] had a great game and really kept us in it,” Levett said.

Samiyah Worrell (14), Riley Aiono (10) and Celina Tress (10) joined her in double figures.

Though the margin was larger in the loss to LCCC, Levett was more proud of his squad’s effort in this defeat. The Trappers burst out to a 42-28 halftime lead, fueled by well-spread offense. 

But the third quarter proved fatal for NWC. 

LCCC held NWC to just five points in the period, allowing the Golden Eagles to take their first lead of the game. And in the fourth quarter, LCCC built on its lead to eventually win by 13.

“We came in energetic and ready to play,” Levett said. “It was a big game for us, and we wanted to play well. We had a great first half, we just couldn’t make shots in the third quarter.

“We had great looks that weren’t going in, and we got frustrated,” he said. “But we never gave up.”

Worrell and Tatiana Coleman led NWC with 13 points each, while Aiono added 11. Sydney Prather collected 14 rebounds.

Now 3-5 in Region IX play and 9-9 overall, the Trappers’ last two games will be critical. They faced Eastern Wyoming at home Wednesday and head to Casper this weekend for a Saturday tilt with the Thunderbirds.

Sitting tied for fourth in Region IX North with Western Wyoming, the Trappers need to find the groove again if they want to host a game in the region tournament. 

“That’s the message,” Levett said. “We just need to get back on track and get a win under our belt. It comes down to how bad we want it.”

Western Wyoming 78, Northwest 74

Points — Shelby Tarter 19, Samiyah Worrell 14, Riley Aiono 10, Celina Tress 10, Sydney Prather 7, Raquel Turner 6, Kierra Cutright 6, Tatiana Coleman 2;

Rebounds — Cutright 6, Tarter 4, Aiono 4, Prather 3, Worrell 2, Tress 2, Hidaya Thornton 1, Coleman 1, Turner 1;

Assists — Turner 5;

Steals — Cutright 4

Laramie County 74, Northwest 61

Points — Worrell 13, Coleman 13, Aiono 11, Turner 8, Prather 6, Adela Smutna 3, Cutright 3, Tress 2, Tarter 2;

Rebounds — Prather 14, Cutright 9, Coleman 6, Worrell 4, Aiono 3, Tress 2, Smutna 2, Tarter 2, Turner 1;

Assists — Tarter 6;

Steals — Worrell 5