Cougars Drub Oregon Again

Some things are just inevitable.

Washington State defeated Oregon for the 17th consecutive time, sweeping the Ducks 15-4, 15-12, 15-10 in a Pac-10 match at Eugene, Ore.

Washington State (7-3, 2-1) was led statistically by LaToya Harris, who had 13 kills and 16 digs. Missy Blackshire contributed 12 kills and five aces. Joy Sperry, the team’s only senior, had 11 kills and 12 digs.

The Cougars play at Oregon State tonight.

In a battle of the only remaining unbeatens in the Big Sky Conference, Northern Arizona edged Eastern Washington 9-15, 15-10, 15-9, 9-15, 15-13 at Flagstaff, Ariz.

Eastern senior Lacey Coover set a school record with 34 digs. The previous record was 32 set by Kari Becker in 1986 against Portland.

Coover led the Eagles with 17 kills and was joined in double figures by Angie Hall (16), Stephanie Dahlstedt (15) and Jennifer Gabel (11).

Idaho topped New Mexico State 15-8, 4-15, 15-9, 11-15, 15-10 before 546 fans at the Pan American Center to open Big West Conference play at Las Cruces, N.M.

Idaho, which has won nine of its last 10 matches, improved to 10-3 overall and 1-0 in the Big West. New Mexico State, which had won six straight home matches, dropped to 7-6 and 0-1.

Sophomore outside hitter Mindy Marques showed her defensive skills, collecting a career-high 29 digs for the Vandals, the highest total in five years at Idaho and seventh-best in school history.

Jenny Kniss led the Vandals with 17 kills, her season-best. Middle blocker Regan Butler added 12 digs, 14 kills and eight blocks.

Idaho plays at North Texas on Saturday.

North Idaho won two matches at the Valley of the Sun Tournament hosted by Glendale (Ariz.) Community College.

The Cardinals defeated Pima (15-3, 15-6) in two straight and did the same to Southwest Missouri (15-0, 15-11).

Jennifer Wallace had seven kills for NIC against Pima. Lindsay Baines led with eight kills in one game against Southwest Missouri, which had to forfeit the first game after arriving late.

Tennis

Junior Erica Perkins and sophomore Sarah Burrows advanced to the second round of the women’s doubles main draw at the T. Rowe Price National Intercollegiate Clay Court Tennis Championships in Baltimore.

The 23rd-ranked Cougars duo defeated Rebecca Ho and Martina Kopecova of Penn State 6-3, 6-3.

In the women’s singles bracket, 58th-ranked Sandra Noetzel of Nebraska upset 23rd-ranked Perkins 6-2, 6-1.

Softball

Sullivan Scoreboard of Spokane defeated Elks Club of Jerseyville, Ill., 17-14 in their opening game at the ASA men’s slowpitch national championships in Lawton, Okla.

Scott White was 4-4 and hit for the for cycle. His fourth hit was a two-run homer that gave Sullivan a 16-15 lead.