Cardinals to play for fifth place

CASPER, Wyo. - The goal this week for the North Idaho College volleyball team was simple - finish higher than last year's eighth place showing at the NJCAA tournament.

Mission accomplished.

Larissa Claassen had 18 kills and 14 digs, Russia Robinson 23 digs and Allison Meehan had 50 assists for ninth-seeded NIC in a 26-24, 26-24, 23-25, 25-21 win over fourth-seed Iowa Western to advance to today's fifth/sixth place match at the Casper Events Center.

"The girls found a way to win," NIC coach Miles Kydd said. "The bad part was we shouldn't have, but had two points go our way. The girls did a good job of sticking with it and finding a way to win, so we'll take it."

Anyssa Matheson had 12 kills and Leeta Grap had 11 kills for NIC, which faces No. 3 seed Western Nebraska (39-4) today at 1 p.m. PST.

Earlier this year, NIC (18-12) lost in three games to Iowa Western (43-5) at the Pizza Hut Invitational in Sterling, Colo.

"I guess we've met one goal, so let's see if we can finish as high as possible," Kydd said. "If we can go from unranked (in the preseason poll) to fifth in the nation, that's something good to feel about."

Salt Lake (24-7) lost in five games to Tyler (34-4) in the semifinals, and will play No. 5 Hillsbourgh today for third.

NJCAA VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT

at Casper Events Center

Casper, Wyo.

Times PST

Matches to be webcast via njcaatv.com.

Friday

Hill d. Hutchinson 25-11, 25-22, 25-20 (loser out)

Central Florida d. Wallace State 25-14, 25-8, 25-18 (loser out)

Arizona Western d. Gadsden State 26-24, 25-13, 25-23 (loser out)

New Mexico Military Institute d. Missouri State-West Plains 25-20, 31-29, 25-20 (loser out)

Western Nebraska d. Northwest 20-9, 25-9, 25-22

North Idaho d. Iowa Western 26-24, 26-24, 23-25, 25-21

Central Florida d. Hill 25-22, 25-13, 25-15

Arizona Western d. New Mexico Military 25-22, 25-20, 25-17

Tyler d. Salt Lake 17-25, 25-23, 20-25, 25-14, 15-12

Blinn d. Hillsborough 25-20, 25-22, 25-17

Match 22 - No. 1 Blinn (37-3) vs. No. 5 Hillsborough (40-4), 5:30 (semifinal)

Saturday

Match 23 - No. 7 Central Florida (28-13) vs. No. 13 New Mexico Military (25-17), 9 a.m. (ninth-10th place match)

Match 24 - No. 10 Northwest (25-13) vs. No. 4 Iowa Western (43-5), 11 (seventh-eighth place match)

Match 25 - No. 3 Western Nebraska (39-4) vs. No. 9 North Idaho (18-12), 1 p.m. (fifth-sixth place match)

Match 26 - No. 6 Salt Lake (24-7) vs. No. 5 Hillsborough (40-5) 3:30 (third-fourth place match)

Match 27 - No. 2 Tyler (34-4) vs. No. 1 Blinn (39-3), 5:30 (national championship match)