MASON CITY, IA – Turnovers hurt the Northeast Community College women’s basketball team in its 78-73 loss here Saturday to North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC).

Northeast Coach Matt Svehla said his team played poor in the first half. “We had 14 turnovers during the first 20 minutes and that really hurt.  We out shot them in each half, but the turnovers and our inability to box them out cost us the game.”

 #1 NIACC (24-2) grabbed 20 offensive rebounds while the #24 Hawks (24-3) had 23 turnovers for the game.  “In preparing for this game, we talked about keeping our turnovers down and rebounding,” Svehla said.   “We just didn’t get it done in those areas and it cost us.  We had a chance to win, but it just didn’t happen.”

Alison Klostergaard led Northeast with 20 points. Elsewhere for the Hawks, Yasmin Miller had 13 points and 10 rebounds, Jamea Coleman finished with 12, Ena Viso, 10, Emily Gamble, 9, Debinique Knowles, 5, Megan Trinder 4 points and 11 assists, and Annie Szczepaniak, 2.

NIACC is #1 in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II poll while Northeast is #24 in the NCJAA Division I poll.

Northeast will host Central Community College – Columbus Wednesday as part a women’s-men’s double-header in the Cox Activities Center.  The women’s game begins at 6 p.m. The men will tip-off at 8.