Eastern Women Clinch Volleyball Tourney Berth

Eastern Washington’s volleyball team held onto its slim lead in the Big Sky Conference after a 15-9, 15-4, 15-8 win at Cheney over defending conference champion Cal State Northridge.

Kim Exner had a match-high 12 kills and Lora Botha had 11 to go with eight blocks as Eastern improved to 21-4 overall and 12-2 in conference play.

The fifth-place Matadors hit just .025 for the match dropping to 14-12 overall, 6-9 in conference.

Portland State’s 15-11, 16-14, 15-12 win over Northern Arizona clinched a top-two finish for Eastern and a first-round bye in the Big Sky tournament.

Women’s basketball

Idaho defeated Simon Fraser 67-61 in an exhibition game.

Jennifer Stone scored 17 points and Kelli Johnson had 15 and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the Vandals.

College wrestling

North Idaho College’s wrestling team traveled to Ricks College, winning 19-16.

Brandon Springer of NIC scored two points on a takedown of Renton Williams with 3 seconds left, putting the match into overtime. Springer won the match with another take-down just 5 seconds into overtime.

NIC will compete in the Cowboy Open Friday at the University of Wyoming. Matches begin at 9 a.m.

Prep football

Lind advanced to the State B-8 football quarterfinals after defeating Inchelium 6-0 in a tiebreaker at Davenport.

Jason Sikorski’s touchdown from 2 yards out put the Bulldogs into the playoffs for the first time since 1986.

Lind will play Rosalia at Colfax Friday at 7:30 p.m.

College soccer

The Community Colleges of Spokane men’s soccer team takes on the Tacoma Titans in a Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges quarterfinal match Sunday at Spokane Falls Community College. Game time is 1 p.m.

Basketball

The Spokane-based NBC Thunder improved to 5-4 with a 78-70 win over Missouri Baptist in an exhibition game in St. Louis.

, DataTimes