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Sports Olympic Briefs

■WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Russia edge South Korea

Tatiana Shchegoleva and Ilona Korstin each scored 13 points to help Russia edge South Korea 77-72 yesterday. Trailing 72-70, Shchegoleva made a free throw and put back a miss to give Russia a one-point edge with 1 minute, 23 seconds left. After Kim Yeon-gok missed two free throws, Becky Hammon converted two from the foul line to give Russia a 75-72 lead. In other games, Belarus topped Latvia 80-57, Spain defeated New Zealand 85-62 and the Czech Republic routed Mali 81-47. Yelena Leuchanka scored 22 points to help Belarus win. Belarus (1-1) built a 17-point lead in the third quarter, before Latvia rallied to cut the deficit to eight early in the fourth. Leuchanka then scored seven points during a 20-5 run to close the game. Isabel Sanchez scored 19 points and Anna Montanana added 18 for Spain (1-1), who jumped out to an 11-point first quarter lead and never let up. The Czech Republic (1-1) scored the first 12 points of the game and never looked back in beating Mali (0-2). Hana Machova scored 14 points to lead the Czech’s.



■WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

Emotional US team beaten

The US team, playing in their second match of an emotionally draining Olympics, lost to Cuba in three sets yesterday. Cuba, ranked third in the world, overpowered the US women 25-15, 26-24, 25-17 and are up 2-0 in preliminary round play. The US women are even at even at 1-1. US Volleyball has been reeling from the stabbing death of Todd Bachman, father of former Olympian Elisabeth Bachman McCutcheon. He was attacked by a knife-wielding man at a popular tourist site in Beijing on Saturday. In other early matches yesterday, Serbia beat Algeria 3-0 and Italy downed Kazakhstan by the same score. Ivana Djerisilo had 13 points to lead Serbia to a 25-14, 25-13, 25-13 win and Francesca Piccininni had 12 points as Italy won 25-19, 25-15, 25-21.



■WOMEN’S FENCING

Vezzali makes it three golds

Valentina Vezzali of Italy won a record third consecutive Olympic women’s individual foil gold yesterday, breaking a tie with four seconds left to defeat South Korea’s Nam Hyun-hee 6-5. Vezzali was down 5-4 with 41 seconds to go and lost a video replay challenge. But she charged ahead and tied the score, setting up the heart-stopping finish. The 34-year-old world No. 1 has now won more individual Olympic golds than any other fencer. “I have to first off all thank my little boy Pietro, who is waiting for me,” she said. In an all-Italian bronze medal match, Margherita Granbassi defeated 1992 gold medalist and five-time Olympian Giovanna Trillini 15-12.



■WOMEN’S WATER POLO

US rally to down China

Natalie Golda scored four goals as the US team overcame a shaky start to beat hosts China 12-11 in preliminary play yesterday. “I can guarantee it won’t be like that the rest of the tournament,” Golda said. In other preliminary action at Yingdong Natatorium, Hungary beat the Netherlands 11-9, defending gold medalists Italy defeated reigning European champions Russia 9-8 and 2000 gold medalists Australia knocked off Greece 8-6. The Americans, with 10 first-time Olympians, showed their youth in the opener. They got behind early, seemed to be bothered by the raucous crowd and gave up too many long-range goals. They pulled out a victory, though, thanks to two late power-play goals, stellar defense down the stretch and a little help from the goal post. Kami Craig scored with 5 minutes, 7 seconds to play and Lauren Wenger added the go-ahead goal about a minute later.


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