Santa Clara women win thriller in conference tourney

   The Santa Clara women overcame a 2-0 deficit to stun BYU 4-3 on Thursday in the first round of the West Coast Conference Championships in Claremont, Calif.
   Chelby Cooke, saving four match points, kept the fourth-seeded Broncos alive with a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (5) victory over Savannah Ware on Court 3 to tie the score 3-3. Daniella Silva then won it for Santa Clara, outlasting Mayci Jones 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 on Court 1.
   In today's semifinals, the Broncos (13-9) will play No. 1 seed and eighth-ranked Pepperdine (19-2), and No. 3 seed Saint Mary's will face No. 2 Gonzaga. The Gaels eliminated No. 6 USF 4-2, while the Waves and Zags received a bye.
   On the men's side, No. 5 seed Portland defeated No. 4 Pacific 4-2 in the first round in Claremont.
   Meanwhile, the UC Davis men and women were eliminated in the Big West Championships in Indian Wells, Calif. The No. 3-seeded Aggies men lost to No. 2 Cal Poly 4-2, and the No. 7 UCD women fell to No. 2 UC Santa Barbara 4-0.