In the end, though, all the top teams prevailed on the pitch to maintain their place in the tables, which clinched the three postseason sides - Spokane and North Idaho joining Walla Walla - in the women's table and putting the top three in the men's table on the verge of clinching with NIC seven points back of third with three games remaining.
WOMEN ##############
Walla Walla 2-0 Treasure Valley
Dominique Velazquez (Othello, WA) scored 17 minutes into the contest and Sally Culig (Boise, ID) added some insurance in the 57th for the Warriors. Paige Kubista (Nampa, ID) registered yet another shutout, needing to make only one save.
Columbia Basin 6-0 Blue Mountain
Elena Mendoza (Othello, WA) and Elle Mann (Pocatello, ID) each had a goal and an assist in the first half along with goals from Cami Pfliger (Richland, WA) and Kaylee Martinez (Othello, WA). Madison Gatherum (Richland, WA) added to a first half assist with a pair of goals in the second half. Lilly Kikendall (Selah, WA) did not see a single shot come her way in the shutout as CBC outshot Blue Mountain 24-0.
North Idaho 2-0 Yakima Valley
The Cardinals got a pair of first half goals from Zoe Lee (Amonn, ID) in the sixth and 29th with Chelsea Love (Newman Lake, WA) setting up the second. Kinzie Hunter made three stops for the shutout.
Spokane 2-1 Wenatchee Valley
The hosts got on the board first through Kalea Bokma (Wenatchee, WA) in the 20th minute, but Spokane dominated the contest with a 32-5 advantage in shots and eventually found two despite hitting the woodwork on three other occasions. Defender Grace Ellis (Spokane, WA) tallied for a second consecutive game from distance to tie it up in the 65th. A corner from Riley Couch (Sandpoint, ID) for the third time this week found its way into the back of the net, this time off the head of Emily Carrell (Boise, ID).
INW Players Elsewhere: Madelene Parton (Leavenworth, WA) had just one assist in Peninsula's 15-0 win against Shoreline.
NWAC EAST STANDINGS (W-L-T... Points)
Walla Walla 11-0-0... 33^
Spokane 9-1-1... 28^
North Idaho 9-2-0... 27^
Columbia Basin 5-4-2... 17
Yakima Valley 2-5-4... 10
Wenatchee Valley 2-8-1... 7
Treasure Valley 1-8-2... 5
Blue Mountain 0-11-0... 0
^ Clinched playoff spot
MEN ##############
Walla Walla 2-1 Treasure Valley
Missael Lopez (Tieton, WA) led the Warriors to the win, scoring the opener eight minutes in via Luis Gonzalez (Pasco, WA) and setting up what held as the game-winner in the 27th by Freddy Rodriguez (Hermiston, OR). The winner came just a minute after the hosts had equalized via Bryson Maximo.
Spokane 3-1 Wenatchee Valley
Nick Frost scored early for the Bigfoot, but the Knights answered quickly to even it back up with a goal from Francisco Moreno. David Uribe (Pasco, WA), however, put the Sasquatch back in front in the 31st via Chase Reidt (Spokane, WA) and Hector Magana (Pasco, WA) added some insurance in the 40th. The match went the rest of the way scoreless.
Columbia Basin 4-0 Blue Mountain
Four different players scored for the Hawks in the road win with Alexis Correa (Grandview, WA) and Uriel Mendoza (Prosser, WA) tallying in the 19th and 25th for a two-goal lead at the break. Benjamin Paniagua (Yakima, WA) struck one minute after the restart and Israel Gonzalez (Grandview, WA) capped the scoring in the 59th. Andres Mendoza (Ephrata, WA) posted an easy clean sheet as CBC dominated in shots 24-3 and did not allow one on goal.
INW Players Elsewhere: Alain Murhula (Boise, ID) scored the third and fourth goals for Whatcom in a 4-0 win against Skagit Valley... Miguel Martin (Terrebonne, OR) made one save in a 3-0 shutout win for Clark at Southwestern Oregon.
NWAC EAST STANDINGS (W-L-T... Points)
Spokane 7-1-1... 22
Columbia Basin 7-1-1... 22
Walla Walla 7-2-0... 21
North Idaho 4-3-2... 14
Treasure Valley 2-7-1... 7
Wenatchee Valley 2-7-1... 7
Blue Mountain 1-9-0... 3
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