Basketball takes Pierce College Invitational

The Bellevue men’s basketball team opened their season by capturing Pierce College’s annual Thanksgiving Invitational on Nov. 29. It was the second-straight year the Bulldogs took the title.

Bellevue beat Columbia Basin 102-63 to open the tournament and were led by Mercer Island grad Matt Lapasin and his 23 points. Brad Valentine scored 21 for Bellevue and fellow Islander alum Bren Hobzek scored 20.

Bellevue played tournament host Pierce in the semifinal, toughing out a 72-65 win. The team was led by freshman point guard Marcus Tibbs with 19 points.

The Bulldogs beat South Puget Sound 80-64 in the championship game. Lapasin was named tournament MVP and All-Tourney Team honors went to sophomore Jordan Starr.

Soccer players earn All-Star honors

Several Bellevue College soccer players earned All-Star honors after the Bulldogs captured the NWAACC Championship with a 2-1 victory over Walla Walla. Matt Eronemo, Radcliff McDougald, Jesse Sorteberg and Bellevue grad Josh Strasser earned All-Star nods, while Fabian Morales was named the Tournament MVP. Adam Fenster was named the West Division Coach of the Year.

Volleyball ties for fifth at NWAACC’s

The Bellevue College volleyball team finished fifth at the NWAACC Volleyball Tournament, finally being eliminated by second-ranked Blue Mountain in the consolation bracket.

Bellevue beat Lower Columbia 25-21, 24-26, 25-11, 23-25, 15-10 in the first day of play, but the Bulldogs couldn’t get past eventual champion Spokane on the second day, falling 23-25, 25-16, 15-25, 25-18, 15-9 in five sets.

Bellevue beat Clackamas and Columbia Basin before being eliminated by Blue Mountain.

Sophomore co-captain Savannah Fiest was named to the NWAACC All-Tournament team.

Interlake grad earns All-Star honors

Janelly Quintana, a 2009 Interlake graduate, earned All-Star honors for the Bellevue College women’s soccer team. Quintana had three goals and one assist for the Bulldogs this season.

Bulldogs women’s soccer coach retires

Bellevue College women’s soccer coach Frank Lee is retiring. Lee, who took over the job in 2006, guided the team to a 13-5-3 record in 2008 and was named the West Region Coach of the year that season. He led the team to the second round of the playoffs this season.

“He did a fine job of stabilizing this program,” said BC athletic director Bill O’Connor. “Frank was a key factor in making the Bulldogs women’s soccer program once again competitive in what can be a tough division.”

A replacement has not yet been named.