International soccer
AMERICANS TO OPEN WITH ENGLAND: The United States will face England at the World Cup for the first time since a famous upset 60 years ago, then play Slovenia and Algeria in the first round of next year's tournament.
The U.S. opens against England in Rustenburg on June 12, the teams' first World Cup matchup since the Americans' 1-0 victory at the 1950 tournament in Brazil.
The United States then meets Slovenia at Johannesburg's Ellis Park on June 18 and completes the first round on June 23 against Algeria in Pretoria. The U.S. has never played either nation.
The U.S. has beaten England twice and lost seven times in nine meetings. The other victory was 2-0 in a 1993 exhibition at Foxborough, Mass. In the most recent matchups, England won 2-1 at Chicago's Soldier Field in 2005 and 2-0 at Wembley last year.
The only official match between the teams was at the 1950 World Cup.
Pro golf
YANG LEADS AT TIGER'S TOURNEY: Y.E. Yang managed to play good golf while coping with a big headache Friday, and his 7-under 65 gave him a two-shot lead going into the weekend at the Chevron World Challenge.
A year ago, Yang was grinding in the California desert during the final stage of Q-school, a six-round tournament that determined whether he would have a PGA Tour card. Since then, he won his first U.S. title at the Honda Classic, then made history as the first Asian to win a men's major (the PGA Championship), and the first player to win a major when Tiger Woods had the lead going into the final round.
College volleyball
PRAIRIE STATE'S KRILICH MAKES ALL-AMERICA TEAM: Prairie State sophomore outside hitter Samantha Krilich, a T.F. South grad, made school history when she was named a National Junior College Athletic Association second-team All-American. Krilich is the first PSC student-athlete in any sport to earn All-America honors.
Krilich also made the NJCAA All-Region IV and All-Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference first teams this season. She was picked to the region and conference all-tournament teams and was MVP of the Prairie State Tournament. She was the NJCAA National Player of the Week on Sept. 20.
Krilich etched her name in the school record book this fall after tallying 555 kills and a 4.41 kills-per-set average, which is the second-highest clip in the country. Krilich, whose 1,008 career kills are a Pioneer record as well, also produced a team-best .344 hitting percentage -- No. 2 on Prairie State’s all-time single-season list -- to go with 491 digs, 61 blocks and 60 aces.
College swimming
TWO TOP 10 VU TIMES POSTED: Valparaiso University's Justine Barnes and Rachel Majercik each posted program Top 10 times during the second day of the Calvin Winter Invitational in Grand Rapids, Mich. Barnes posted the school's sixth-quickest time in the 200-yard butterfly (2:14.28), and she finished 14th overall in the race. Majercik had the eighth-fastest time in the 200 free (1:57.62) in the morning prelims. Later, she finished 16th overall in the race. The VU women sit eighth overall with 49 points entering today's final set of events. VU's men are fifth overall with 127.
Boys basketball
SUPER HOOPS TICKETS ON SALE: Tickets for the Super Hoops Classic Tournament are on sale Monday-Friday through Dec. 18 at Valparaiso High School's athletic office. The Vikings' boys basketball team meets Carmel at 6:45 p.m. Jan. 2 at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette. VHS athletic office hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and tickets are $8 for the eight-game event. Tickets are $12 at the door. For details, call (219) 531-3080.
Around the horn
A late goal by Casey Nogueira put North Carolina into the NCAA women's soccer tournament's championship game. Final Four qualifier Notre Dame kept the match scoreless for more than 80 minutes before the national powerhouse came away with the 1-0 win. Nogueira's goal came in the 82nd minute. ... The New Jersey Nets won for the first time this season, ending the worst start in NBA history at 18 losses by beating the Charlotte Bobcats 97-91 Friday night. ... Manny Pacquiao is likely to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. on March 13 after agreeing to a proposal from promoter Bob Arum on Friday. Arum presented "what he thought was the best proposal he can bring" during a two-hour breakfast meeting with Pacquiao in Manila, said Michael Koncz, an adviser of the Philippine boxing idol. ... Chone Figgins is moving up the coast in the AL West. The Mariners and the third baseman have a preliminary agreement on a $36 million, four-year contract, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Friday night. ... Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour set a major college football record for combined touchdowns passing, rushing and receiving with his 147th -- and soon added his 148th in the Mid-American Conference championship game late Friday night against Ohio.
