Area roundup: Strong third period lifts Spokane Chiefs past Red Deer

The Spokane Chiefs overcame a 3-0 deficit with five consecutive third-period goals and beat the Red Deer Rebels 5-3 in Western Hockey League preseason action Saturday at the Tri-City Americans tournament in Kennewick.

The Chiefs’ first four goals came via the power play. Markson Bechtold got it started 1 minute, 48 seconds into the third with his first goal of the preseason.

After Curtis Miske scored to make it 3-2, Bechtold scored his second goal at the 8:43 mark to knot the game at 3.

The winning goal came from Riley Whittingham with less than 5 minutes left. Jaret Anderson-Dolan capped the scoring a couple of minutes later.

Kailer Yamamoto assisted on four of Spokane’s five goals. The Chiefs held a 13-6 shots advantage in the third period.

Garret Hughson and Tyson Verhelst split time in goal for the Chiefs. Hughson stopped 12 of 13 shots and Verhelst stopped eight of 10.

The Rebels fell to 1-2.

Spokane (2-3) has two remaining preseason games – at Tri City on Friday and at home against the Americans on Saturday.

• Layne Green’s overtime goal gave the North Okanogan Knights (1-1-0-1) a 4-3 win over the Spokane Braves in a KIJHL game at Eagles Ice-A-Rena.

Spokane (0-1-0-1) scored three third-period goals to force overtime. Austin Breen, Josh Fisher and Connor McIntosh scored for the Braves.

Volleyball

Savannah Blinn had a match-high 19 kills and Gonzaga swept Southern Utah (7-2) at the Grand Canyon Invitational in Phoenix. Scores were 25-23, 25-19 and 25-14.

The win was the Bulldogs third straight. McKayla Ferris added 15 kills and Emmy Allen chipped in 10 kills and 11 digs.

Gonzaga (7-2) plays Arizona State in Tempe, Arizona, today.

• Kyra Holt had 20 kills, Haley MacDonald dished out 44 assists and Washington State wrapped up play at the Cougar Challenge in Pullman with a 24-26, 25-16, 25-13, 25-11 win over Utah Valley (4-6).

WSU’s Taylor Mims added 11 kills and McKenna Woodford chipped in 10 kills and nine digs.

The Cougars (8-1) play in the Texas Tech Lone Star Showdown in Lubbock, Texas, on Friday and Saturday.

• Idaho responded after falling to Portland (8-1) with a straight-set win over St. Francis Brooklyn (1-10) at the Portland tournament.

Kaela Straw tallied a match-high 13 kills, Torrin Crawford had six kills and four blocks and the Vandals topped the Terriers 25-18, 25-17 and 25-15.

Idaho fell to Portland 25-22, 25-14, 25-23 in its opening match.

Next up for the Vandals (2-7) is the Golden Eagle Invitational Friday and Saturday in Cookeville, Tennessee.

• Whitworth beat Fontbonne (2-8) before falling to No. 4 Carthage (7-1) to conclude play at the Baden Invitational in St. Louis.

The Pirates made quick work of the Griffins in their opening match. Brenna Bruil and Cassandra Mendoza had seven kills apiece and Maddye Dinsmore dished out 33 assists as Whitworth won 25-5, 25-18 and 25-14.

The Pirates played well against the Redmen, but fell 25-23, 17-25, 25-16 and 25-18.

Whitworth’s Nicole Leonard led the way with 12 kills and 14 digs. Carthage’s Emily Heuermann tallied a match-high 17 kills.

The Pirates (6-3) begin Northwest Conference play against Pacific Lutheran in Parkland, Washington, on Friday.

Women’s soccer

Whitworth concluded play at the SlugFest Tournament in Santa Cruz, California, with a 1-0 loss to La Verne (2-1-1).

The lone goal came from Maribel Duran in the 29th minute.

The Pirates (2-2) begin Northwest Conference play on Wednesday at home against Whitman.

• Cali Moscrip, Makenzie Welch and Alysha Overland all scored second-half goals and Community Colleges of Spokane blanked Columbia Basin (2-2-1, 0-1) 3-0 in a Northwest Athletic Conference opener at Spokane Falls Community College.

The Sasquatch (4-0-1, 1-0) play at Wenatchee Valley College on Wednesday.

Men’s soccer

Alan Trevino and Esteban Ojeda scored second-half goals and Columbia Basin (2-1-1, 1-0) blanked Community Colleges of Spokane 2-0 in a Northwest Athletic Conference opener at Spokane Falls Community College.

The Sasquatch fell to 2-2-1 overall and 1-0 in the NWAC.