Whits like the feel of playing regional at home

Northwest Conference regular-season champion Whitworth will have more than just the home-floor advantage working for it this week when the NCAA Division III West Regional volleyball tournament plays in the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

The regional, which starts with four first-round matches Thursday, includes two other teams from the Northwest Conference – Linfield and Puget Sound – along with a couple of other schools the Bucs have faced in recent years.

“It’s nice to play teams you’re familiar with,” said Whitworth coach Steve Rupe, whose second-seeded and 17th-ranked Pirates (20-3) face No. 7 seed Colorado College (21-8) in Thursday’s 8:30 p.m. nightcap, “Players change from year to year, but you’re still familiar with the coaches, their coaching styles and their philosophies. You can pretty much count on teams preparing the same way from one year to the next.”

Then there’s the talent issue, which, in this case, is also a big plus for the Bucs, who will start seven battle-tested seniors in Thursday’s opening round.

“I thought we’d be pretty good this year,” said Rupe, in his seventh season as the Bucs’ head coach. “It’s such a mature group of kids – seven seniors who all play significant roles. They’ve been motivated to do some things.

“The last time we hosted (a regional) we knew we had to play exceptionally well two nights in a row to win it. This year you have four or five teams that, if they play well, can win. But the nice thing for us is we don’t have to be brilliant. We just need to play good, steady volleyball and we have a chance to win this thing – and that’s exciting.”

The Pirates have been led offensively this fall by senior middle blocker Natalie Danielson, who leads the team in kills (4.09 per game) and hitting (.337). Senior outside hitter Julie Marsh is averaging 3.03 kills per game, and senior setter Rebekah Hornor is averaging 11.12 assists per game.

The Pirates were 9-0 at home during the regular season and have won 17 of the last 18 matches they have played in the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

“Playing at home is a huge advantage,” Rupe admitted. “Sleeping in your own beds, playing on the same floor you practice on, playing in a gym you’re familiar with – those are all huge advantages.

“Plus, we have great fans.”

The tournament kicks off Thursday with a 1 p.m. match between fourth-seeded Puget Sound (15-5) and fifth-seeded Cal State East Bay (26-10). Sixth-seeded Linfield (20-4) plays third-seeded California Lutheran (18-2) at 3:30, and top-seeded La Verne (20-8) faces eighth-seeded Chapman (16-9) at 6.

Semifinal matches will be played at 4:30 and 7 p.m. Friday, with Saturday night’s championship match set for 7.

Admission for the tournament is $5 for adults and $3 for students and children per session. All-session passes are $15 for adults and $8 for students and children. All-session passes can be purchased in advance by calling the Whitworth athletics office at 777-3224.

It’s CCS, then playoffs for NIC

North Idaho College, which upset No. 1-ranked College of Southern Idaho at home last weekend, entertains Community Colleges of Spokane at 7 p.m. Wednesday before heading to Twin Falls, Idaho, for this weekend’s Scenic West Athletic Conference Region 18 Tournament.

The Cardinals (29-4 overall) and CSI (44-2) tied for the SWAC regular-season title with 9-1 records. CCS (24-18 overall) finished second in the NWAACC East with an 8-4 mark, four games behind division champion Walla Walla (31-4, 12-0).

NIC opens Region 18 playoff action at 2:30 p.m. Friday against Eastern Utah (8-15, 0-10). Host CSI plays Snow College (12-14, 4-6) at 6:30, with the championship match set for 5 p.m. Saturday.

Another record for Brown

Idaho senior Meghan Brown picked up another school record during the weekend when she recorded here 68th career double-figure dig match with 14 in a 3-0 loss to ninth-ranked Hawaii.

Brown, who also owns the Vandals’ career digs record with 1,325, broke the previous double-figure dig match record of 67, set by Mandy Becker in 2004.

No break for Cougs

Things don’t get any easier for Washington State this weekend.

The Cougars (8-18 overall, 1-12 Pacific-10 Conference) travel to Los Angeles to take on No. 21 UCLA on Friday and No. 15 Southern California on Saturday.

The Cougs have lost 10 consecutive matches, but seven have come to Pac-10 teams ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s Top-25 poll.