Hyder sets digs record in victory

Kelly Hyder can dig it – she has already done so 1,260 times in a Washington State volleyball uniform during her three years playing in Pullman.

The junior libero became the Cougars’ all-time career digs leader after recording 15 in WSU’s sweep of visiting Utah Valley on Friday, eclipsing Shannon Wyckoff’s (1994-97) previous record of 1,254.

The win marked the end of the WSU non-conference slate. The Cougars (7-4) open Pac-10 play next weekend at Arizona and Arizona State.

•They went down – twice – but not without a fight.

Elaina Renius had a two-match total of 31 kills and setter Denise Van de Mortel paced the offense with 98 assists as Gonzaga dropped two five-set matches at the Pitt Invitational in Pittsburgh.

The Bulldogs (5-9), who were playing in their third straight – and fifth overall – five-set match this season, lost their morning contest to tournament-host Pittsburgh and fell to Virginia Commonwealth in their afternoon match.

•Colville product Nikki Bardwell’s eight kills and 16 digs helped Whitworth sweep visiting Willamette (2-9, 0-1) in the Pirates’ Northwest Conference opener.

Bree Riddle (Freeman) and Jordon Hoffnagle (Mt. Spokane) combined for 30 assists for Whitworth (8-5, 1-0).

•Spokane (13-10) defeated Shoreline and Lind-Benton and lost to Highline at the Bellevue Crossover tournament. The tournament concludes today.

Men’s soccer

First Tye Perdido knotted the score late in the game, then he ended it in overtime.

Perdido netted his second goal just less than 9 minutes into overtime to cap the Gonzaga men’s 3-2 comeback victory over Missouri-Kansas City at the Gonzaga/Nike Soccer Classic.

The Bulldogs (2-2-1) erased a 2-0 deficit after Ben Funkhouser (East Valley High School) and Perdido scored second-half goals. Perdido made the winner after Tim Muravez chipped the ball into the box from the left wing.

Gonzaga and Cal State Bakersfield will meet Sunday afternoon in a contest between the two teams unbeaten at the tournament. The Roadrunners (2-5-0) blanked Oregon State 1-0 in the opening game of the tournament Friday.

Women’s soccer

Kylee Williamson (East Valley) recorded a goal and an assist in North Idaho’s 3-1 victory over Western Wyoming Community College in a non-conference game at Coeur d’Alene.

Lauren Linford and Justine Bowman (Central Valley) also scored for the Cardinals (6-3) and Natalie Nichols (Lakeland) notched an assist on Williamson’s goal.

•Idaho’s Jennifer Hull scored once and later set up teammate Nicole McAllister (Cheney) in a 2-2 draw between the Vandals (1-4-1) and Niagara (5-1-1) at the UNLV Rebel Classic in Las Vegas.

•Colorado’s Nikki Marshall broke open a scoreless game in the 85th minute and the Buffaloes (6-1-1) blanked Gonzaga (4-4-0) 1-0 at the Colorado Soccer Classic in Boulder.

Junior hockey

The Spokane Braves scored four goals in the final period – three on power plays – to pull away for a 7-3 Kootenay International Junior Hockey League victory over the Sicamous Eagles at Eagles Ice-A-Rena.

Conner Olstad had a hat trick for the Braves while teammates Jake Peterson, Joel Stewart, Chase Wharton and Ryan Hadley-Schaal also scored.