Cardinal volleyball team ties for fifth at NWAC tourney

- VOLLEYBALL

TACOMA — North Idaho College eliminated Chemeketa 18-25, 28-26, 15-12 before bowing out at the Northwest Athletic Conference Championship after being swept by Highline 25-12, 27-25 at the Tacoma Convention Center on Saturday.

NIC finished tied for fifth place with Lower Columbia College.

In the Cardinals’ 18-25, 28-26, 15-12 win over Chemeketa, Hailee Etter 13 kills and 12 digs, Kayla Neumann 14 kills and nine digs, Kynzey Mitzel 15 digs and Haylee Templeton 35 assists for NIC.

Chemeketa finished 18-17.

Templeton had 14 digs and 10 assists and Etter six kills for NIC, which finished 26-13.

- WRESTLING

Cardinals bounce back, beat

Umpqua, Highline in duals

COEUR d’ALENE — Just hours after leaving Christianson Gymnasium with a bad taste in their mouth, the Cardinals bounced back in a big way, beating Umpqua and Highline in the Cardinal Duals.

Against Umpqua, NIC earned pins in six weights for a 49-5 win, then had four against Highline in a 45-9 triumph.

“The guys wrestled really well and it was good to see them bounce back,” said NIC coach Pat Whitcomb, whose team lost a dual to fourth-ranked Clackamas 34-3 on Friday at home. “These teams aren’t the strength of Clackamas, but it was good to get that taste out of our mouth and bounce back.”

NIC freshman Hunter Gregerson had pins in both of his matches at 197 pounds.

“Hunter responded really well,” Whitcomb said. “It was really good to see a freshman not take that loss (Friday) to heart and do something about it.”

Izaiah Duran (165 pounds) and Connor Sullivan (285) also won both matches by pin on Saturday for NIC, which competes in the Spokane Open today at the Spokane Convention Center, starting at 9 a.m.

Championship finals are scheduled at 4:30 p.m.

NORTH IDAHO 49, UMPQUA 5

125 — Jacob Garrison, NIC, d. Nathan Kiddoo, 5-4. 133 — Nicholas Hara, NIC, p. Johnny Maldonado, 1:20. 141 — Dylan Lockwood, NIC, by forfeit. 149 — Garrett Russell, Ump, p. Hasaan Hawthorne, 5:46. 157 — Cooper McCullough, NIC, md. Braydon Wright, 12-3. 165 — Izaiah Duran, NIC, p. Jesse Wagner, 4:20. 174 — Jake Malchuski, NIC, p. Jesse Ramirez, 2:04. 184 — Christian Grover, NIC, p. Josh Hammers, 4:29. 197 — Hunter Gregerson, NIC, p. Gottlieb Davis, 4:35. 285 — Connor Sullivan, NIC, p. Adam Lamb, 1:11.

NORTH IDAHO 45, HIGHLINE 9

125 — Jacob Garrison, NIC, by forfeit. 133 — Nicholas Hara, NIC, tf. Aaron Nakama, 17-1. 141 — Dylan Lockwood, NIC, by forfeit. 149 — Hasaan Hawthorne, NIC, md. Ethan Wendell, 15-5. 157 — Bryce Parson, NIC, p. Patrick Wheeler, 1:08. 165 — Izaiah Duran, NIC, p. Anthony Rawson, 2:17. 174 — Kettner Fields, High, d. Jake Malchuski, 6-4. 184 — Ben Gore, High, p. Christian Grover, 5:13. 197 — Hunter Gregerson, NIC, p. Daniel Allen, 2:40. 285 — Connor Sullivan, NIC, p. Evan Barger, 1:59.

- WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

North Idaho 75

Scottsdale 61

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Alivia Williams scored 22 points, Keara Simpson added 16 and the Cardinals pulled away late and and squared their record at 1-1 with the victory over the Fighting Artichokes.

“We had such a strong finish in the fourth quarter,” NIC coach Chris Carlson said. “We played some lockdown defense, shut those guys down, and hit some big shots. Alivia was really good tonight, and Keara Simpson played well.”

NIC plays at Chandler-Gilbert today in Chandler, Ariz., to wrap up its season-opening three games in three days.

A complete box score was not available.

NORTH IDAHO — Peterson 9, Williams 22, Schrade 2, Eborall 11, Carlton 8, Simpson 16, Sellmann 7.