Liberty avoid WNBA Finals ouster behind Jones, Stewart
Jonquel Jones scored 27 points and Breanna Stewart added 20 to help the Liberty beat the Las Vegas Aces 8773 on Sunday in New York in the WNBA Finals and force a Game 4.
New York struggled in the first two games against the Aces in Las Vegas, but the Liberty found their shooting touch in Game 3 behind Jones, who hit four of the team’s 13 3-pointers.
This was the Liberty’s first win in the WNBA Finals since Teresa Weatherspoon’s half-court shot in Game 2 against Houston in 1999. The Aces are up 2-1 in the best-of-5 series and Game 4 is Wednesday night in New York.
Larson earns title race spot in Las Vegas win
Kyle Larson edged Christopher Bell at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway finish line to become the first driver locked into NASCAR’s championship race.
The 2021 Cup champion earned the first of four spots in the Nov. 5 title-deciding finale with his win in opening race of the round of eight of NASCAR’s playoffs.
ACFC gets playoff spot
Angel City FC reached the final day of the regular season needing a win and some help around the league to clinch their first playoff berth.
By the time the dust settled, Angel City had a lot of goals and most importantly a 5-1 win over the Portland Thorns, clinching fifth place and spot in the NWSL playoffs in front of a sellout crowd of 22,000 at BMO Stadium.
Angel City broke through on M.A. Vignola’s strike from the left wing that eluded Portland goalkeeper Bella Bixby in the 36th minute. Two minutes later, Scarlett Camberos’ header made it 2-0 and the celebration was just getting underway.
Savannah McCaskill (47th minute) and Sydney Leroux (51st minute) gave Angel City a 4-0 lead early in the second half.
• Niclas Füllkrug and Jamal Musiala scored 3 minutes apart early in the second half, and Germany rallied to beat the United States 3-1 in an exhibition Saturday in East Hartford, Conn., as Gio Reyna played under American coach Gregg Berhalter for the first time since their feud erupted. Christian Pulisic put the 11th-ranked U.S. ahead in the 27th minute.
• Diego Luna scored in the second half to help Real Salt Lake rally from two goals down to a 2-2 draw with the Galaxy late Saturday night in Carson.
Defending champion Los Angeles FC clinched a topfour seed in the Western Conference with the tie by Real Salt Lake (13-12-8).
The Galaxy (8-13-12), with Novak Mocovic, 21, making his first career appearance in goal, grabbed a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute when Dejan Joveljic took passes from Daniel Aguirre and Douglas Costa and scored his sixth goal of the season.
Jovelic returned the favor, picking up an assist on Costa’s netter in the 34th minute to put the Galaxy up 2-0.
American Yin captures maiden LPGA Tour win
American Solheim Cup player Angel Yin defeated top-ranked Lilia Vu on the first playoff hole to win the LPGA Shanghai tournament for her first tour win.
Yin was tied with Maja Stark for the overnight lead at 12 under and on Sunday shot a 70, with three birdies and a lone bogey. Vu shot a 4-under 68.
• Brooks Koepka held it together at the end for a 2-under 68 and defended his title at LIV Golf-Jeddah with a birdie on the second playoff hole to beat Talor Gooch on a day when both had reason to celebrate.
Koepka had to birdie two of his last three holes to finish at 14-under 196 and tie with Gooch, who closed with a 62 in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia. By gaining the playoff, Gooch moved past Cameron Smith and won the season points title and the $18 million bonus.
Koepka not only won $4million for the win, he picked up an additional $4 million for finishing third in the points race.