SportsSeptember 27, 2019

MOSCOW — Kennedy Warren had 14 kills as the Idaho volleyball team opened Big Sky Conference play Thursday with a 26-24, 25-23, 25-20 victory against Portland State.

“Obviously to win is always awesome, everybody wants to win,” coach Debbie Buchanan said. “It was good for our confidence. We had been battling these last four weeks of preseason, and we told the team we have to let it go.”

The Vandals (5-8, 1-0 Big Sky) snapped a two-match losing streak and had lost four of five matches coming in.

Nikki Ball added 12 kills for Idaho, which hit .285 as a team. Donnee Janzen contributed 36 assists and Delaney Hopen finished with 21 digs.

Parker Webb had 12 kills and Toni McDougald added 11 with three blocks for the Vikings (4-8, 0-1). Caroline Dragani chipped in with 30 assists and two aces, and Ellie Snook finished with 22 kills.

The first set had 14 ties and four lead changes. Trailing 14-12, Idaho went on a 7-2 run. Portland State tied it at 19, but the Vandals eventually fought to win the set.

The second set followed the same theme, with 14 ties and five lead changes before Idaho eventually emerged. The Vandals put it away in the third as they held a seven-point lead early and cruised.

Idaho hosts Sacramento State at 1 p.m. Saturday.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALLCougs open against UW

PULLMAN — The Washington State women’s basketball team will open its Pac-12 season at home against Washington on Dec. 29, it was confirmed with the official release of the conference season schedule.

WSU schedule

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All times Pacific

Oct. 31 — Beijing Normal (exhibition), 5:30 p.m.

Nov. 5 — Pepperdine, 7 p.m. 9 — Brigham Young, 1 p.m. 20 — at Boise State, 4 p.m. 24 — Cal State Northridge, noon. 28-30 — Paradise Jam, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands 28 — Baylor, 3:45 p.m.; 29 — South Carolina, 6 p.m.; 30 — Indiana, 3:45 p.m.

Dec. 4 — Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 7 p.m. 8 — Gonzaga, 2 p.m. 15 — UC Irvine, 4:30 p.m. 20-21 — Miami Holiday Classic (20 — Southern University, 9 a.m.; 21 — Miami, 8 a.m.). 29 — Washington, 2 p.m.

Jan. 3 — at Stanford, 7 p.m. 5 — at California, noon. 11 — at Washington, 12:30 p.m. 17 — Arizona, 7 p.m. 19 — Arizona State, noon. 24 — at USC, 7 p.m. 26 at UCLA, noon. 31 — California, 7 p.m.

Feb. 2 — Stanford, noon. 7 — Colorado, 7 p.m. 9 — Utah, noon. 14 — at Arizona State, 6 p.m. 16 — at Arizona, 11 a.m. 21 — UCLA, 7 p.m. 23 — USC, 11:30 a.m., 28 — at Oregon, 8 p.m.

March 1 — at Oregon State, noon.

TRACK AND FIELDCawley to manage U.S. team

Cathleen Cawley, wife of University of Idaho track coach Tim Cawley, is serving as head manager for Team USA at the World Outdoor Track Championships starting today in Doha, Qatar.

She is reprising a role she played in international meets in Costa Rica, Peru and Finland in previous years.

Joining Cawley will be former UI pole vaulter Melinda Withrow (Owen), who will serve as an event manager.

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