NIC WOMEN: Cardinals dump Umpqua, win tourney

CENTRALIA, Wash. - Georgia Stirton took over late, and the North Idaho College Cardinals held off Umpqua Community College of Roseburg, Ore., 70-63 in the championship of the Lower Columbia College tournament on Sunday.

Stirton finished with 20 points, five rebounds and seven assists. Ranae Mokrzycki added 15 points, 12 boards and three assists and Kara Staggs 12 points and seven rebounds.

Stirton was named tournament MVP, and Staggs also made the all-tournament team. Staggs scored 23 points in NIC's 85-53 semifinal win over Centralia on Saturday.

"This was just a great battle," NIC assistant coach Cal DeHaas said. "Umpqua is a very well-coached team.

"Down the stretch we got a couple stops when we needed them and we pulled out a close one."

NIC (15-2) hosts Snow on Thursday to kick off a five-game Scenic West Athletic Conference homestand.

NORTH IDAHO

Georgia Stirton 7-14 5-6 20, Katie King 0-1 0-0 0, Jansen Butler 1-7 0-1 3, Bailey Schroeder 1-3 0-0 2, Morgan Grier 1-4 0-0 3, Ryleigh Swagerty 0-0 0-0 0, Kara Staggs 5-14 0-0 12, Sabrina Earle 0-0 0-0 0, Renae Mokrzycki, 5-17, 5-7 7, Caitlyn Behymer 2-3 1-2 5, Marian Swanson 0-0 0-0 0, Maggie Kirscher 0-0 0-0 0, Panisessi Taimani 4-11 2-3 11. Totals 26-74 70.

UMPQUA

Hannah Hawkins 0-0 0-0 0, Rachel Sample 3-10 0-0 7, Pilaialoha Kailiawa 0-1 0-0 0, Kayla Bice 0-0 0-0 0, Paige Tompkin 0-3 1-3 0, Romanalyn Incencio 3-8 2-2 9, Ashli Payne 3-12 4-5 10, Leilani Morris 2-3 0-0 4, Kyndal Charleston 5-18 2-3 14, Asia Smith 8-14 2-3 18. Totals 24-69 63.

Halftime NIC 38-37. 3-point goals - NIC 5-26 (Stirton 1-2, King 0-1, Butler 1-5, Schroeder 0-2, Grier 1-3, Staggs 2-10, Mokrzycki 0-2, Taimani 0-1). Ump 4-20 (Sample 1-5, Kailiawa 0-1, Incencio 1-2, Charleston 2-9). Rebounds - NIC 44 (Mokrzycki 12) Ump 59 (Payne 12). Assists - NIC 13 (Stirton 7), Ump 10 (Incencio 4). Team fouls - NIC 19, Ump 17. Fouled out - none.