Concordia Wins in NAIA Cross-Country

The Concordia women’s cross-country team won the NAIA championship Saturday at Wisconsin Parkside.

The national title was the first for the school in any sport. The Eagles placed three runners in the top 17 and finished with 133 points, comfortably ahead of second-place Concordia Nebraska with 188. Indiana Wesleyan was third with 193, followed by Azusa Pacific (196) and Northwest (Wash.) with 203.

Everlyne Lagat of Malone (Ohio) won the five-kilometer race, finishing in 18 minutes 1 second. Concordia’s Trisha Mattson was seventh in 18:29, Rachel Lafady was 11th in 18:41 and Mindy Brown was 17th in 18:58.

In nonconference women’s basketball:

UC Irvine 71, Cal State Northridge 48--Wendy Gabbe had career highs in points (17) and rebounds (nine) to lead UCI (1-0) to its most one-sided opening victory since 1984, when it defeated Cal Poly San Luis Obispo by 27 points.

In the Western Baptist women’s basketball tournament:

Concordia Portland 62, Concordia 59--The Eagles (0-2) erased a 16-point first-half deficit and, after Emma Covington’s three-pointer with 1:35 remaining, trailed, 58-57. But Concordia Portland prevailed with four free throws in the final seconds.

In nonconference men’s water polo:

UC Irvine 10, UC Santa Barbara 8--The top-ranked Anteaters broke open a close game with four third-quarter goals and led, 10-3, early in the final period.

In Big West women’s volleyball:

Pacific 3, Cal State Fullerton 0--Danielle Shin had 19 kills and 13 digs to lead Pacific to a 15-7, 15-5, 15-9 win. The Tigers (24-3, 15-1) won their 16th consecutive match and clinched the conference title.