The second-ranked University of Colorado ski team held off No. 1 Denver to win the Western State Invitational on Saturday at Crested Butte. It was the first time in six years the Buffs have won back-to-back meets after winning the CU Invitational last week.
Colorado, which used a 1-2-3 finish in Friday’s women’s giant slalom to take a first-round lead, placed two in the top three in Saturday’s women’s slalom and compiled 599 1/2 points. Denver, the defending NCAA champion, finished with 556 points, followed by New Mexico with 527. The host Mountaineers finished seventh with 296 1/2.
Colorado’s Lucie Zikova won the women’s slalom in 1 minute, 17.17 seconds. Nevada’s Jaana-Maari Vaelimaeki finished second in 1:17.63, followed by CU’s Lisa Perricone at 1:17.74. Zikova paced Colorado’s sweep of the women’s giant slalom Friday, finishing first with a time of 2:27.00.
CU’s Jana Rehemaa won the women’s 5K classical in 17:53.8, edging Denver’s Ingvild Engesland at 18:07.2. In the men’s 10K classical, CU’s Kit Richmond won in 29:25.9.
Niagara comes from behind to down AFA
The Air Force men’s hockey team jumped to a two-goal lead after the first period, but Niagara scored six unanswered goals for a 6-2 victory in a College Hockey American game at Dwyer Arena in Niagara Falls, N.Y.
Air Force (6-17-1, 4-10) scored two power-play goals. But Sean Bentivoglio scored the game-winner with 1:47 left in the second for Niagara (14-13-1, 8-5-1).
Late rally lifts Lubbock over host Eagles
The Lubbock Cotton Kings scored two third-period goals to defeat the Colorado Eagles of the Central Hockey League 4-3 at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland. It was the first time in team history the Eagles lost in regulation when leading after two periods.
Bobby Brown and Kyle Nosan scored two goals apiece for the Cotton Kings. Brown tied the game at 7:50 of the third period and Nosa hit the game-winner at just more than two minutes later.
