Nic Shorts Dixie 5-2 Goyne Sparks Cardinal Women

The North Idaho College women’s team starts three guards, but night after night the shortest player on the team comes off the bench and destroys the opposing team’s game plan.

Tammy Goyne, all 5-foot-2 of her, did it again Thursday night, distributing a game-high 12 assists and scoring 14 points to lead the Cardinals to a 90-72 Scenic West Athletic Conference victory over Dixie College.

“She comes off the bench and gives us a spark that’s almost automatic,” North Idaho coach Greg Crimp said. < Crimp is blessed with a plethora of talented guards that allows him to use Goyne’s quick-strike ability whenever the team needs a lift. Included in that group is Mandy Jacques, who matched Goyne’s team-high 14 points and had 10 assists. Three other North Idaho players scored in double figures.

“We weren’t expecting Goyne to have that big of a game, but they’re a good solid club and anyone can step up,” Dixie coach David LaVetter said.

Both teams had big scoring runs that kept the game close for much of the first half. Goyne, from Australia, took over in the last 6:15 of the half, scoring 11 points and dishing out three assists to put the Cardinals up 46-34 at halftime.

Some of Goyne’s best assists came on long outlet passes that found her teammates in ideal positions to make lay-ups.

“We talk very well as a team and I know they’ll run the floor so I find them,” Goyne said.

North Idaho continued to pull away in the second half as reserve-post Erin Dowhy scored all 10 of her points in what Crimp called her finest game of the season.

Dixie (5-5 league, 16-5 overall) began to force turnovers late in the game, but couldn’t overcome the large deficit. The Rebels got a game-high 21 points from Sunny Myers, the leading scorer in the SWAC. Fifteen of her points came from the free-throw line.

“Other than fouling her, I think that our guards did a very good job defending her tonight,” Crimp said.

The Cardinals, ranked 17th in the nation, avenged one of its two league losses and stayed on top of the SWAC with the victory. North Idaho (8-2, 18-2) is host to Snow College tomorrow night.

North Idaho 90, Dixie 72

Dixie (16-5, 5-5) - Robinson 1-9 0-0 2, Myers 3-17 15-17 21, Fowler 3-5 3-4 10, Yardley 0-4 0-0 0, Watson 2-7 1-1 5, Heaton 4-8 2-2 10, Harding 4-9 1-2 9, Holt 0-2 0-0 0, Booth 7-10 1-2 15. Totals 24-71 23-28 72.

North Idaho (18-2, 8-2) - Goyne 6-10 0-0 14, Jacques 6-13 2-2 14, Richards 3-4 0-1 6, Dickson 5-15 1-2 11, Viebrock 2-2 1-4 5, Nearing 2-13 0-0 4, Rainer 3-11 1-1 7, Shepard 3-6 2-2 8, Jensen 4-5 0-0 11, Dowhy 5-10 0-1 10. Totals 39-89 7-13 90.

Halftime- North Idaho 46, Dixie 34. 3-point goals - Dixie 1-6 (Myers 0-2, Robinson 0-2, Fowler 1-1, Yardley 0-1), North Idaho 7-13 (Goyne 2-5, Jacques 0-2, Dickson 0-4, Jensen 3-3). Fouled out - none. Rebounds - Dixie 42 (Myers 8), North Idaho 47 (Nearing 10). Assists - Dixie 15 (Yardley 5), North Idaho 32 (Goyne 12). Total Fouls - Dixie 13, North Idaho 19. Attendance - 734.