Area roundup: NIC Cardinals split at volleyball nationals

North Idaho College’s shot at a national title ended Thursday night with a 17-25, 27-25, 25-23, 25-20 loss to San Jacinto (Texas) at the NJCAA National Volleyball Championships in West Plains, Mo.

Tina Strahinic had 21 kills and three blocks, and Gabriella Rifilato added 28 assists and three aces for NIC in the loss.

The sixth-seeded Cardinals (27-7) began the day with a sweep over Iowa Western.

Third-seeded San Jacinto (28-9) will meet Western Wyoming (39-5) in today’s semifinals. Eighth-seeded Salt Lake (28-6), which lost to NIC in the Region 18 championship match, will play Western Nebraska (41-4) in the other semifinal.

NIC will play 10th-seeded Eastern Arizona (31-5) at 12:30 p.m. PST today. The winner will play for fifth place on Saturday, the loser for seventh.

• Kelsey Kurtz had 27 assists and 13 digs as Community Colleges of Spokane (31-9) opened the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges Championships with a 25-11, 25-16, 25-20 win over Highline (20-20) at Gresham, Ore.

Sasha Mitchell added nine kills while hitting .529 and Kealey Johnston had 16 digs for CCS.

CCS will meet Whatcom (22-12) at 12:30 p.m. today in the quarterfinals.

Women’s basketball

Natalie Day and Nakeisha Brown combined for 18-for-26 shooting from the floor and 47 points as Portland (3-0) built a 52-30 halftime lead and held off visiting Washington State 91-80 in nonconference play.

The Cougars (0-3) cut the deficit to six points with 1:17 left but came no closer. WSU’s Rosetta Adzasu scored 20 points, shooting 6 of 10 from the floor and 8 of 9 from the line.

• Camille Reynolds, Korina Baker and Deanna Dotts scored eight points apiece in the second half as North Idaho (6-0) posted a 77-61 win over Eastern Utah (0-5) at the Casper (Wyo.) Tournament.

Girls basketball

Kyeli Parker scored 19 points, hitting 3 of 4 3-pointers, as Coeur d’Alene (1-0, 1-0) overcame a 23-22 halftime deficit for a 61-46 Inland Empire League win at Post Falls (2-1, 1-0). Carli Rosenthal added 15 points for CdA and Dani Failor scored 13 for PF.

• Marah Ashcraft scored 14 points to lead Kellogg (2-1) to a 41-16 nonleague win over host Kootenai at Harrison. Brie Benson had nine rebounds for the Warriors (0-2).

Arena football

Offensive lineman (6-foot-4, 300 pounds) Tim Walter joined the Spokane Shock roster.

Walter started 39 games during his five-year career at Colorado State University.