NIC SOCCER: No. 14 Cardinal men truck Truckee Meadows

• MEN

RENO, Nev. — Freshman Federico Bellisi opened the scoring on an assist from freshman Zakaria Mekhchane and sophomore Ben Innes in the 14th minute for North Idaho College in a 5-1 win over Truckee Meadows Community College on Thursday. 

“We did a good job of sticking to the game plan today,” said NIC men’s soccer coach Brad Williams, whose team is 14th in this week’s NJCAA poll. “They’re a really difficult team to break down, and we didn’t bury the ball against them last year. This year, we did. We had plenty of chances early, but weren’t getting them on frame in the first half. We did a better job of taking more tactical shots in the second half.” 

NIC (6-1, 2-0 SWAC) travels to face College of Southern Idaho at Founders Park in Jerome on Saturday. 

Truckee Meadows is 1-4, 0-2. 

First half — 1, NIC, Federico Bellisi (Zakaria Mekchane, Benn Innes), 14:00. Second half — 2, NIC, Sebastiano Casini (unassisted), 47:00. 3, TMCC, Edwin Ugalde (Roberto Castillo), 49:00. 4, NIC, Lennox Kern (Bellisi), 53:00. 5, NIC, Dillon Bingham (unassisted), 71:00. 6, NIC, Mohammed Fadel-Fall (unassisted), 80:00. 

Shots on goal — NIC 9, TMCC 2. 

Saves — NIC, Ariel Martinez 1; TMCC, Sawyer Morris 4. 

• WOMEN

North Idaho 2 

Truckee Meadows 1 

RENO, Nev. — Sophomore Amy Smith scored a go-ahead goal in the 62nd minute — her second goal of the match — as the Cardinals held off the Lizards in a Scenic West Athletic Conference match. 

Truckee Meadows (0-2, 0-2 SWAC) tied the match in the 60th minute before Smith scored two minutes later. 

“It was a great job of not dropping our heads after they tied it,” NIC women’s coach Kellsi Parson said. “We took control and connected some great passes and took back the momentum and kept it the rest of the game. Truckee Meadows is good defensively. They’re a heck of a team. They’re really organized, but coming here and getting a win was important.” 

NIC (2-2-1, 2-0) faces College of Southern Idaho on Saturday at Founders Park in Jerome. 

First half — 1, NIC, Amy Smith (Kaylee Smith), 25:00. Second half — 2, TMCC, unknown, 60th. 3, NIC, 62nd, A. Smith (unassisted). 

Shots on goal — NIC 7, TMCC 6. 

Saves — NIC, Serena Hand 3; TMCC, Karen Salgado, 3.