* MEN'S SOCCER

COEUR d'ALENE - Post Falls graduate Matt Howard scored on an assist from Lake City graduate Alec Johnson in the 34th minute as the North Idaho Cardinals beat the Columbia Basin Hawks 2-0 in a Northwest Athletic Conference East Division game on Saturday at Eisenwinter Field.

NIC (12-1-2, 10-1-1 NWAC, 31 points) can clinch a playoff spot with a win on Wednesday at Treasure Valley.

Braden Ridgewell, a former Coeur d'Alene High standout, scored an unassisted goal in the 58th minute for NIC.

"We'd came off a stretch of six games in 16 days, so we got a chance to refresh and get back to what we were doing well early in the season with a week off," NIC coach Ken Thompson said. "Early in the year, we were putting in headers like crazy, and today we got back in the air. Everyone that stepped on the field today did a good job."

Columbia Basin is 4-5-5, 4-4-4.

First half - 1, NIC, Matt Howard (Alec Johnson), 34:00. Second half - 2, NIC, Braden Ridgewell (unassisted), 58:00.

Shots on goal - CBC 12, NIC 17.

Saves - CBC, Lupe Arseo, 12; NIC, Mitch Markovetz, 5.

* WOMEN'S SOCCER

North Idaho 1

Columbia Basin 0

COEUR d'ALENE - Jasmine Smith scored on an assist from Natalie Middleton in the 12th minute, leading the Cardinals past the Hawks in a Northwest Athletic Conference East Division game at Eisenwinter Field.

Middleton collected a loose ball on the right flank and crossed the ball to the top of the penalty area, where Smith sent a shot into the right side of the net.

"We were a little pumped up at the beginning of the game and played a bit raggedly," NIC coach Dan Hogan said. "After we settled down, we started creating chances on goal and Jasmine finished one of the first really good chances."

NIC (8-2-7, 7-2-6 NWAC, 27 points) faces Treasure Valley (13-3-1, 10-3-1, 31 points) in Ontario, Ore., on Wednesday.

NIC needs to win two of its next three games to clinch a playoff spot.

Columbia Basin is 5-7-4, 5-5-4, 19 points.

First half - 1, NIC, Jasmine Smith (Natalie Middleton), 12:00. Second half - none.

Shots on goal - CBC 7, NIC 22.

Saves - CBC, Stephanie Gibson, 16; NIC, Cassy van der May, 7.

* VOLLEYBALL

Utah State-Eastern d.

North Idaho

PRICE, Utah - Dzeni Hadzisehovic had 22 kills for the Cardinals in a 25-19, 24-26, 25-22, 25-21 loss to the Golden Eagles in a Scenic West Athletic Conference match.

Brenna Meehan had 19 kills and 13 digs, Zoia Basargin 10 kills, Jadan Ross 13 digs, Kennedy Chadwick 21 digs and Maddi Seidl 50 assists for NIC (9-8, 3-4 SWAC), which hosts fifth-ranked Salt Lake on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Christianson Gym.

Earlier on Saturday, Salt Lake (16-8, 4-2) fell to eighth-ranked Snow (17-4, 4-2) in five games in Ephraim, Utah. Third-ranked College of Southern Idaho also won at Colorado Northwestern on Saturday in other SWAC play.

Melissa Judd had 15 kills for Utah State-Eastern (8-14, 2-5).