Area roundup: Spokane Chiefs drop preseason road game against Tri-City

The Tri-City Americans scored a goal in each period and held on to beat the Spokane Chiefs 3-2 in Western Hockey League preseason action Friday at the Toyota Center in Kennewick.

Juuso Valimaki, Jordan Roy and Parker AuCoin scored for the Americans. AuCoin’s goal midway through the third put Tri-City ahead 3-1.

Spokane’s Curtis Miske scored off an assist from Riley Whittingham in the first to knot the game at 1. Dominic Zwerger capped the scoring in the third with his third preseason goal.

The Chiefs (2-4) and Americans (3-4) play again today at 2 p.m. at the Arena as Spokane caps its preseason schedule.

• The Nelson Leafs (1-2-0-0) scored three third-period goals and beat the Spokane Braves 4-1 in a KIJHL game in Nelson, British Columbia. Paxton Malone scored the Braves’ (1-2-0-1) lone goal in the third period.

Volleyball

Washington State continued to play well, claiming a pair of straight-set wins at the Texas Tech Lone Star Showdown in Lubbock, Texas.

The wins were the Cougars’ ninth and 10th straight following a season-opening loss at Radford.

WSU (10-1) opened with a 25-23, 25-14, 25-22 win over Northwestern State (2-10). Kyra Holt led the Cougars with a match-high 12 kills. Haley MacDonald added 27 assists and 11 digs.

The Cougars then went on to beat Texas Tech (10-3) 25-22, 25-14 and 25-18. WSU’s McKenna Woodford had 17 kills.

• Kelsie Payne had a match-high 17 kills and Rigdon Madison added 15 kills and 11 digs as No. 17 Kansas (11-0) topped Gonzaga (7-4) 25-18, 23-25, 25-20, 25-8 at the Jayhawk Invitational in Lawrence, Kansas.

• Idaho fell to Western Carolina (6-8) and Towson (12-1) on the opening day of the Golden Eagle Invitational in Cookeville, Tennessee.

• Cassandra Mendoza and Nicole Leonard combined for 21 kills and Whitworth opened Northwest Conference play with a 26-24, 25-17, 25-19 win over Pacific Lutheran (6-4, 0-1) in Parkland, Washington.

The Pirates (7-3, 1-0) play NWC foe Puget Sound in Tacoma tonight at 6.

Men’s soccer

Aaron Meyer scored an unassisted goal in the 12th minute and Utah Valley (6-1) held on to beat Gonzaga 1-0 in a nonconference match in Spokane.

Bulldogs goalkeeper Chris Lowrimore tied a career high with seven saves. GU (3-3-1) host Oregon State Tuesday at 3.

Women’s soccer

Alyssa Lloyd scored twice – once in each half – and Idaho topped South Dakota 4-1 in a nonconference match in Moscow, Idaho.

Kavita Battan and Elexis Schlossarek also scored for the Vandals (4-4), who held an 18-9 shots advantage over the Coyotes (2-7).

Idaho hosts Seattle University Sunday at 4 p.m.