Kritik und Anregungen » re carries, but Gruden insisted the starter

HOUSTON -- For the second straight season, Stanford found itself depending on penalty kicks to advance to the College Cup final.Like last season, the Cardinal came out on top. After each team converted its first nine attempts in the tiebreaker, Amir Bashti made it 10-for-10 for Stanford. Tar Heels defender Alex Comsia then sent his try over the crossbar to end it, giving Stanford a 10-9 win.They had just as many good chances as us, and it could have been a 1-0 game either way, Stanford coach Jeremy Gunn said.Stanford (14-3-5) will face Wake Forest in the College Cup final on Sunday in search of its second straight national championship.Its not his fault. We could have done things in the game to have his back, North Carolina defender Colton Storm said of Comsias miss. It could have been any of us.Its the nature of the game, North Carolina coach Carlos Somoano said. Sometimes they go in, sometimes they dont. Sometimes theres moments you seize the moments, and sometimes it runs away from you.North Carolina (14-3-4) had the two best chances of the game. Late in the second half, forward Alan Winn was denied by goalkeeper Andrew Epstein, who made a nice save with his legs.Later, Epstein made the best save of the match in the final seconds of the second overtime on a shot from forward Tucker Hume. After gaining possession in the right side of the 18-yard box, Hume unleashed a shot that Epstein deflected wide with his legs.He made the plays to keep the game at 0, and he deserves credit, Somoano said.After a flurry of corner kicks and a free kick in an attacking area, Stanford had the best opportunity to score in the first overtime on a header from Drew Skundrich, but he put if over goalkeeper James Pyle, who had six saves. Foster Langsdorf, the Stanford goal leader who scored in the teams first three tournament games and has 15 on the season, had three shots and two on goal but was unable to break the deadlock before the game went to penalty kicks.Any result like that is going to be tough to swallow, Storm said. Stanfords a really good team. We each had our chances. National semifinal, its going to be tough to swallow no matter what.While Epstein was unable to stop any of North Carolinas penalties in the shootout, his saves late in the game enabled Stanford to continue its quest for a repeat.Andys never really attracted much attention, but when youre his coach you appreciate him, Gunn said. You can depend on him.Stanford has won 15 of its last 18 games after starting the season with three ties and a loss. The Cardinal have yet to concede a goal through four tournament games, while North Carolinas season ends after a third consecutive tournament shutout.After winning the first national championship in program history last season, Gunn praised his team for continuing to push forward this season.Its incredible, Gunn said. Youve always got to be optimistic. Theres no point in being anything else. We started the year so well in January. I thought, `These players are so hungry.Nick Markakis Braves Jersey . Olli Jokinen, Mark Scheifele, and Bryan Little each had a goal and an assist as Winnipeg won 5-2, handing Calgary its record-setting seventh consecutive loss on home ice. Phil Niekro Braves Jersey .com) - The red-hot Los Angeles Kings will try to extend their winning streak to a season-high seven games when they visit the Edmonton Oilers for Sundays clash at Rexall Place. http://www.baseballbravesproshop.com/josh-tomlin-braves-jersey/ . -- If Henry Burris has his way, he will be the starting quarterback to lead the Hamilton Tiger-Cats back to the Grey Cup next year. Dansby Swanson Braves Jersey . Uniteds eighth defeat of a wretched campaign means Liverpool, which currently occupies the fourth and final Champions League place, could go nine points clear of its fierce rival by beating West Bromwich Albion on Sunday. Charlie Adam scored both of Stokes goals at Britannia Stadium either side of Robin van Persies equalizer, with a miserable day for seventh-place United capped by first-half injuries to centre halves Jonny Evans and Phil Jones that forced them off. Josh Tomlin Braves Jersey . As the crowd erupted, Davis knocked the ball off the glass and back into his hands. With 1:14 to go in overtime, Davis sixth block also became his 17th rebound. That, along with his 32 points -- which tied a career high -- proved too much for Denver to overcome, and the Pelicans held on for their third straight victory, 111-107 on Sunday night.DETROIT -- Matthew Stafford dropped back and delivered a strike, threading a sharp pass between a lunging linebacker and a blanketing cornerback.Staffords go-ahead, 18-yard touchdown pass to Anquan Boldin with 16 seconds left lifted the Detroit Lions to a 20-17 win over the Washington Redskins on Sunday.I cut it loose and I kind thought to myself, `Were going either win the game or lose the game on this one, Stafford said. It was a tight window.The Lions (4-3) have won three straight thanks in large part to Stafford making clutch throws in the final minutes, giving him 24 career wins with game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime.He does not back down from tough situations, Detroit coach Jim Caldwell said. He relishes in them.Stafford, who set up game-winning kicks in the previous two games, was 18 of 29 for 266 yards with one TD and no turnovers in the 100th game of his career.With Stafford, its never in the bag if its close, Redskins safety Will Blackmon said. I call him (Brett) Farve Jr. because those are the kind of attributes and intangibles he has.The Redskins (4-3) had won four straight and looked like they were going to extend their winning streak when Kirk Cousins scored a go-ahead TD on a 19-yard run with 1:05 left.Washington, though, failed to stop Stafford from throwing or running on his last possession and could not overcome mistakes that included turnovers, a missed field goal and penalties.Redskins coach Jay Gruden lamented the scheme his team used to on Staffords last snap.We should have blitzed seven or eight, Gruden said. But we were playing coverage that weve been playing for a long time and guys were comfortable with. (Linebacker) Will Compton missed it by a fraction of a hair.COUSINS CHANCE:Cousins tried to make up for a lost fumble in the third quarter when he put Washington ahead. He faked a handoff to Chris Thompson, tucked the ball away and ran to the right around the outside to score against a defense that didnt expect him to be carrying the ball in a critical situation. Cousins finished 30 of 39 for 301 yards with a TD and a fumble.We moved the football, he said. We were productive in tthat sense for much of the game and then you have to finish.dddddddddddd Every play matters.INJURY REPORTBoth teams lost their top cornerback to an injury during the game. Washingtons Josh Norman was knocked out of the game with a concussion, landing hard on his left shoulder after giving up a 52-yard pass to Marvin Jones in the third quarter. Detroits Darius Slay left the game with a hamstring injury in the second quarter.The Redskins were without standout TE Jordan Reed for a second straight game because of a concussion. Vernon Davis replaced him in the lineup and had season highs with six receptions and 79 yards. Redskins OT Trent Williams had a knee sprain and is scheduled for an MRI on Monday.Detroits banged-up backfield, which is missing Dwayne Washington (ankle) and Theo Riddick (ankle), created an opportunity for Justin Forsett to play a larger role in his second game with the team. Forsett was given the ball on four straight plays at one point and finished with eight carries for 33 yards and two receptions for 15 yards.COSTLY FUMBLESDetroit made field goals after each of Washingtons lost fumbles, including Matt Jones into the Lions end zone early in the game. Jones appeared to move down on the depth chart after the turnover as Thompson and Robert Kelley got more carries, but Gruden insisted the starter wasnt benched. Im not going to give up on him for fumbling, Gruden said.STREAK STOPPEDDetroits Zach Zenner scored on a 1-yard run midway through the third quarter against a defense that hadnt given up a TD in nine quarters, giving Detroit a 10-3 lead.LUCKY BOUNCEStafford completed a 16-yard pass to Golden Tate in the first quarter that bounced off the back of Bashaud Breeland.UP NEXTThe Redskins play Cincinnati in London.Detroit hits the road to face Houston after being at home for three straight games.---Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Larry Lage at http://www.twitter.com/larrylage and follow his work at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/larry-lage ' ' '