Vandals capture Pittsburgh invite

The University of Idaho volleyball team won the Pittsburgh Invitational Saturday night with a three-game sweep of the defending Big East Champion Pittsburgh Panthers, 30-28, 30-21, 30-25.

“The kids played great,” said coach Debbie Buchanan. “We played really solid and it was a great match and a great weekend for us.”

The Vandals hit .317 for the match compared to only .172 for the Panthers. The Vandals also outblocked Pittsburgh, 10-5. Defensively, the two teams were almost even as Idaho recorded 54 digs to Pittsburgh’s 52.

Sarah Meek led the way for Idaho with 15 kills and five blocks. Kati Tikker added 14 kills for the Vandals and Saxony Brown had 12.

“We learned a lot about ourselves as a team,” Buchanan said. “This Pittsburgh win is going to be huge for us down the road.”

Meghan Brown recorded a team-high 19 digs and Mandy Becker had 46 assists and 10 digs.

In the first match of the day, Idaho swept Portland, 30-20, 30-23, 30-21. Meek recorded 14 kills and six blocks in the match while Brooke Haeberle added 11 kills and 13 digs.

Idaho (3-0) travels to the Missouri Tournament next weekend.

•The host Pirates captured the two-day Whitworth Invitational tournament, defeating runner-up George Fox in what turned out to be the deciding match, 30-25, 30-25, 30-20.

Whitworth also defeated Community Colleges of Spokane, 30-11, 30-20, 18-30, 30-22. Montana-Western defeated CCS, 32-30, 30-20, 30-22.

Whitworth finished the tournament at 4-0, followed by George Fox (3-1); Montana-Western (2-2); and Pacific, Ore., CCS, and Great Falls (all 1-3).

Area athletes named to the all-tournament team were: CCS sophomore outside hitter Sybresha Branch; Whitworth junior setter Bekah Hornor (Spokane); and Whitworth junior outside hitter Julie Marsh (Cheney).

•Washington State (0-3) dropped a pair of matches in the UNLV Classic Tournament in Las Vegas.

In the first match, WSU fell to San Jose State 30-27, 30-22, 30-28, 30-32, 15-12. In the nightcap, the Cougars lost for a second time in the tournament to host UNLV, 30-23, 30-26, 30-28.

WSU’s Jennifer Todd and Kelly Rosin were named all-tournament.

“I think we learned a lot from this weekend’s performance,” said WSU coach Brian Heffernan. “We have a ton of work to do.”

•Gonzaga (1-3) picked up its first win of the season as the Bulldogs knocked off Weber State University in the final match of the DoubleTree Club Bronco Invitational in Boise, 30-27, 28-30, 30-24, 30-19. Earlier in the day, GU fell to New Mexico, 30-22, 30-23, 27-30, 30-19.

Lacey Bell led the Bulldog attack against Weber with 18 kills. Bell was one of four Gonzaga players to reach double-digit kills, along with Lauren Armas (15), Becky Jones (12) and Christina Davis (11).

Earlier in the day, New Mexico State combined for 24 blocks as the Aggies limited Gonzaga to a .107 attack percentage.

•North Idaho college fell to Golden West College at the Salt Lake Community College tournament, 30-27, 30-26, 30-23. The Cardinals were led by: Kelcey Cavan (12 kills, 24 digs); Tiana Maua (33 assists); and Chanele Larsen (6 blocks).

Men’s soccer

Gonzaga University (0-2) is still looking for its first goal of 2004 after dropping a 1-0 decision to the University of Alabama-Birmingham in the first match of the Nike Invitational hosted by the University of Portland.

The Bulldogs return to action Monday to play Sacramento State University at noon as the tournament draws to a close.

•In the Allan Hancock Tournament in Santa Maria, Calif., Community Colleges of Spokane (1-1) split a pair of games.

CCS fell to Santa Barbara, 4-2, despite goals from J.J. Morin and Alex Megson. CCS topped Ohlone College, 3-0, on goals from Terry Blackburn, Nick Loyd, and Chris Smith.

CCS meets the host team today at 10 a.m.

Women’s soccer

In the Sea Breeze Tournament in Oxnard, Calif., Community Colleges of Spokane topped Victor Valley (Calif.) CC, 4-0, as freshman Lauren Nay of Spokane’s University High had a hat trick in her first collegiate game. Jill Giroux had two assists.

CCS meets Fresno today in the bracket championship.

•Eastern Washington University’s junior varsity downed North Idaho College 3-0 in a game at Coeur d’Alene. NIC is now 1-1-0.