Cougs women passed over in D-I playoffs

Friday marks the start of the NCAA Division I women’s soccer championships as 64 teams begin their quest for a national title.

Depsite knocking off No. 4 Southern California in their final regular-season game and receiving votes in the major polls most of the season, the Washington State Cougars (11-5-3) were not among the four Pacific-10 Conference teams in the field announced Monday, leaving seniors Anna Miller and Allison Scurich with mixed feelings.

“I kind of went back and forth. I was trying not to get my hopes up because I have every other year,” said Miller. “But considering we were receiving votes for most of the year, and seeing as how (we) were in the top 30, it kept creeping in my mind.”

“At least we ended our careers on a win, I guess,” Scurich said. “That’s the only positive I can find out of this whole thing.”

Stanford (14-2-4) and UCLA (16-1-2) earned top seeds while USC (14-3-2) is seeded second. California is unseeded. Stanford and Cal (14-5-0) would meet in the second round if both win.

The national championship is set for Dec. 9 at the Aggie Soccer Complex in College Station, Texas.

Locals play on at SPU

Seattle Pacific senior Kara Hamby, a 2004 graduate of Mead High School, is hoping she will play in a second national title game as her collegiate career nears its end.

Hamby, a three-time All-Greater Spokane League selection and second-team all-state pick as a senior, is a team captain at SPU and has played in every game this season for the second-ranked Falcons (21-0).

Two years ago, Hamby and the Falcons advanced to the NCAA Division II women’s title game, falling 2-1 in double overtime to Nebraska-Omaha.

The Falcons play host to Cal State L.A. on Thursday in the third round and with a victory would advance to the quarterfinals.

Other locals on the SPU roster include sophomore Kayla Stiegemeier (Lakeland) and junior Alex Butler (Gonzaga Prep).

Butler graduated in 2005 and was named defensive MVP in the GSL as a senior and offensive MVP as junior. Stiegemeier, a 2006 graduate, was picked as the Inland Empire League’s MVP as a senior.

CCS men enter semis

Last season, Community Colleges of Spokane coach Kenny Krestian watched as his team fell to eventual NWAACC champion Whatcom in the men’s quarterfinals.

This year, the Sasquatch have already improved on last year, and they expect they aren’t done.

Earning their first East Region title since 1998 and progressing to the NWAACC semifinals with a 5-2 victory over Pierce during the weekend, the top-ranked Sasquatch (17-4-2) play fourth-ranked Peninsula at 4 p.m. Saturday at Starfire Stadium in Tukwila, Wash.

Travis Green scored twice on assists from Jay Vela, who also scored once, to help lead the Sasquatch past the Raiders in the quarterfinals.

The Sasquatch haven’t won an NWAACC title since 1996.

Corner kicks

The Gonzaga women wrapped up their season 12-7-1 overall, 3-4-0 in the West Coast Conference. The victories tie a program high that was set in 2005 when the Bulldogs posted a 12-4-4 record and advanced to the NCAA tournament. … The Gonzaga men conclude their season Friday when they entertain Santa Clara at 1 p.m.