College volleyball: Eastern Washington, Idaho eliminated at Big Sky Championship

Eastern Washington and Idaho were knocked out of the Big Sky Conference volleyball championships during the quarterfinals Thursday in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

Mikaela Nocetti, Shannon Boyle and Madeline Cannon combined for 43 kills as second-seeded Sacramento State (20-11) held off EWU 25-16, 18-25, 25-18, 20-25, 15-8.

Junior Ashley Seiler (Cheney High) led the seventh-seeded Eagles (13-13) with a career-high 20 kills and added 13 digs. Ka’iulani Ahuna added 13 kills and Chloe Weber had 10.

Faith Dooley had 11 kills and five blocks as top-seeded North Dakota (24-9) swept Idaho 25-18, 25-20, 25-17 for its ninth consecutive win.

Kaela Straw (Freeman High) had 11 kills and three blocks for the eighth-seeded Vandals (11-18).

Friday’s semifinals will match Sacramento State against Northern Arizona (23-7) and North Dakota against Idaho State (16-14).

Pac-12

Adora Anae had a match-high 23 kills as 16th-ranked Utah (20-8, 11-6) held off Washington State 25-15, 22-25, 25-23, 24-26, 15-8 in Salt Lake City.

Kyra Holt had 16 kills for the Cougars (19-10, 9-8). Holt has 1,705 career kills, second only to All-American Sarah Silvernail (1993-96).

WSU has three matches left in the regular season.

WCC

McKayla Ferris and Emmy Allen combined for 28 kills to guide Gonzaga (15-11, 8-8) to a 25-17, 25-27, 25-18, 25-23 win over visiting Pacific (14-14, 8-8).

Gonzaga has two matches left in the regular season.

NWAC Championships

Julie Staffler’s match-high 15 kills guided North Idaho to a 25-12, 25-23, 25-12 first-round win over Pierce (15-20) in Tacoma.

Brittany Gay (Lake City High) added 38 assists and two aces, Brooke Bell had 10 kills and Zuri Meehan (Mead High) led four players in double figures with 19 digs for the Cardinals (20-12), who recorded their eighth consecutive win.

NIC will meet top-seeded Linn-Benton (40-0) at 12:30 p.m. Friday.

Community Colleges of Spokane’s season ended with a 25-21, 25-19 setback to Bellevue (35-9) in the loser’s bracket.

The Sasquatch (25-15) opened the day with a 13-25, 25-18, 25-15, 9-25, 16-14 loss to Lower Columbia (27-7). Jessica Schmautz (Lakeside-Nine Mile Falls) had 18 kills, Bianca Sanchez 17 digs and Sam Alumbres 21 assists for the Sasquatch.