NIC reaches final day of volleyball nationals

The ninth-seeded North Idaho volleyball team recovered after dropping the first set and kept its season alive with an upset win over fourth-seeded Iowa Western Friday at the NJCAA tournament in Casper, Wyo.

NIC defeated the 43-4 Reivers 24-26, 26-24, 25-23, 25-21.

The Cardinals had been in danger of falling into a deeper hole in the second set, but won the final seven points.

Larissa Claasen had 18 kills and Allison Meehan 50 assists to guide North Idaho (18-11), which was swept by Iowa Western earlier in the season. Russia Robinson, who head coach Miles Kydd said is getting noticed as one of the top liberos at the tournament, had a team-high 23 digs.

The Cardinals will take on third-seeded Western Nebraska (39-4) today for fifth place.

• Dana Norris had seven kills and Community Colleges of Spokane avoided elimination with a 28-26, 25-22 win over Bellevue (28-7) at the NWAACC tournament in Gresham, Ore.

The Sasquatch (33-15) will need to play their way through the losers’ bracket today in order to reach the title game. They open with Clackamas (32-13).

• Jordan Burgess and Rachel Williams combined for 24 kills and No. 5 Stanford (22-5, 15-3) swept Washington State 25-14, 25-15, 26-24 in a Pac-12 Conference match in Stanford, Calif.

Kyra Holt tallied a match-high 13 kills for the Cougars (17-13, 4-13).

• Krista Vansant had 28 kills – including the match-winning point in the fifth set – and No. 3 Washington responded after being swept by Stanford and edged No. 23 California in a Pac-12 Conference match in Berkeley, Calif. Scores were 25-19, 23-25, 25-17, 23-25, 17-15.

Men’s basketball

Braxton Tucker led four players in double figures with 18 points as North Idaho (6-1) rallied in the second half and slid past Dawson 72-70 in a nonconference game in Coeur d’Alene.