NIC ROUNDUP: Cardinal men clinch soccer playoff berth

• MEN'S SOCCER

SPOKANE — With its back to the wall, North Idaho College didn't budge.

The goal has been met.

Evan Yost scored on a penalty kick in the 58th minute for the Cardinals, who held off the Community Colleges of Spokane 1-0 in a Northwest Athletic Conference match at Spokane Falls Community College, clinching a playoff berth.

NIC (11-4-1, 7-4-1 NWAC) drew the penalty after Braden Bennett was fouled in the penalty area in the second half.

"We played a ball into Braden and it went further into the end of the box," NIC coach Ken Thompson said. "Braden played it on his head and drew a penalty. Evan's been cold blooded on those kicks, and has put them in the right spot each time."

NIC, Blue Mountain and Wenatchee Valley each finished 7-4-1 in conference, with the Cardinals earning the tiebreaker after having a better record (1-1) against East champion Columbia Basin. Both Wenatchee Valley and Blue Mountain went 0-2 against the Hawks.

NIC will find out its opponent and first-round site today.

"The guys are pumped," Thompson said. "This is a high energy, high spirited team. We had a bit of a rough spell, but just fought our way back into it. It's a lot of credit to the guys for doing that."

Spokane finishes 3-9-2, 2-7-2.

First half — none. Second half — 1, NIC, Evan Yost (penalty kick), 58:45.

Shots on goal — NIC 5, CCS 2.

Saves — NIC, Stuart Herlinger 2; CCS, Jason Sotelo 4.

• VOLLEYBALL

North Idaho d.

Wenatchee Valley

COEUR d'ALENE — Janae Rayborn, a sophomore from Lake City High, had 10 kills and 18 digs for the Cardinals in a 25-15, 25-10, 25-18 win over the Knights in a Northwest Athletic Conference match at Christianson Gymnasium.

Taylin Rowley, a sophomore from Coeur d'Alene High, had 11 kills and four digs, sophomore Clair Hodge 13 digs and Abbey Neff, a freshman from Lakeland High had 23 assists and nine digs for NIC (8-13, 4-8 NWAC), which played for the first time since Oct. 6 due to a COVID-19 pause.

Wenatchee Valley is 2-14, 2-11.

• WOMEN'S SOCCER

CC of Spokane 2

North Idaho 0

SPOKANE — The Cardinals will be the No. 2 seed from the East Region after falling to the Sasquatch in a Northwest Athletic Conference match at Spokane Falls Community College.

NIC (11-5-0, 8-4-0 NWAC) will play a first-round match at home next week against an opponent to be determined.

Spokane (8-3-3, 7-3-2) will be the third seed from the East.

First half — 1, CCS, Baylee Trejo (Olivia DeShazo), 2:38. 2, CCS, DeShazo (unassisted), 13:30.

Shots on goal — NIC 1, CCS 11.

Saves — NIC, Hailee Mize 9; CCS, Kiah Gray 1.