France leads Davis Cup

Richard Gasquet and Pierre-Hugues Herbert beat Ruben Bemelmans and Joris De Loore, 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4, to give France a 2-1 lead over Belgium in the Davis Cup final on Saturday.

Gasquet and Herbert, who had never played together before, put France one win away from a 10th Davis Cup title. Belgium, in the final for the second time in three years, is seeking its first title.

In the northern city of Lille, the unexperienced French pair came out on top of a tense match with many ups and downs.

In Sunday’s first reverse singles, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga can clinch the final for France with victory over Belgium’s top player David Goffin. If Tsonga fails, the tie will be decided in the final reverse singles between Frenchman Lucas Pouille and Steve Darcis.

HOCKEY

Claudia Kepler scored with 3 minutes 10 seconds to go and the top-ranked Wisconsin women’s team held off Boston University, 4-2, Saturday in Arlington, Va.

Goaltender Kristen Campbell finished with 23 saves for the Badgers (17-1-0).

Mercyhurst 3, UW men 2: Josh Lammon scored the tie-breaking goal with 6:46 remaining and the Lakers knocked off ninth-ranked Wisconsin (8-6-2) at the Kohl Center.

Moose 3, Admirals 0: Goaltender Eric Comrie made 29 saves as visiting Manitoba turned back Milwaukee.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Marsha Howard’s layup with 1:14 to go in overtime gave the Wisconsin women’s team a 73-71 victory over Vanderbilt in the Paradise Jam in Washington.

Howard finished with 24 points for the Badgers (3-3).

(7) Mississippi St 67, UW-Green Bay women 46: Victoria Vivians scored 17 points as the Bulldogs (6-0) rolled past the Phoenix (5-1) in the Cancun Challenge.

VOLLEYBALL

Megan Ballenger had 16 kills to lead No. 17 Creighton to a 22-25, 25-18, 23-25, 25-17, 15-11 victory over Marquette in the Big East championship match at the Al McGuire Center.

The Golden Eagles (22-9) will learn their NCAA Tournament fate Sunday night. The selection show is at 8 p.m.

SKIING

Germany’s Viktoria Rebensburg won her second straight giant slalom by edging World Cup overall leader Mikaela Shiffrin in Killington, Vt.

She finished two runs on Killington’s Superstar trail in 1 minute 57.63 seconds. Shiffrin was skiing in the state where she attended school and was urged on by a roaring crowd. She was 0.67 of back.

NBA

Washington Wizards guard John Wall is expected to miss about two weeks with inflammation in his left knee.

The injury occurred when Wall made knee-toknee contact with another player during Washington’s Nov. 7 loss to Dallas.

CROSS COUNTRY

Drew Bosley of Homestead High School finished 10th in the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships Midwest Regional at UW-Parkside.

Bosley, who qualified for the national meet on Dec. 9 in San Diego, had a time of 15:10.4. Daniel Kilrea of LaGrange, Ill., won in 14:53.3.