COLLEGES

WPI shuts out USM women’s soccer in opener

Emily Doherty scored a pair of goals to lead Worcester Polytechnic Institute past the University of Southern Maine, 2-0, in the season opener for both women’s soccer teams.

Marissa Temple made 18 saves in the loss for Southern Maine.

• The University of New England got goals from four players and beat St. Joseph’s 4-1 at Standish.

Jessica Meader and Margaret Palmer each scored first-half goals, while Katelyn Pierson and Kayla Hamel scored in the second half

MEN’S SOCCER: Conor Murtagh tallied a hat trick to lead Bridgewater State over USM, 4-0, in Gorham.

Andrew Chenard also scored for Bridgewater State.

Goalie Elijah Leverett made five saves for Southern Maine.

n Sean Goodrich and Ryan Stephens each scored goals as UNE defeated Maine Maritime 2-1 in a non-conference match in Biddeford.

Aidan McParland made seven saves for the University of New England.

FIELD HOCKEY: Rebecca Pratt scored the decisive goal late in regulation to lead USM to a 3-2 victory over Manhattanville in the season-opener for both teams in Gorham.

Southern Maine rallied from a 2-0 deficit on goals by Pratt, Peyton Dostie and Kaylie Andrews.

Angela Porrazzo stopped six shots to earn her first collegiate win.

• Cassidy Svetek scored a pair of first-half goals as the University of Maine opened its season with a 4-0 victory over Central Michigan in Pleasant, Michigan.

Holly Stewart and Danielle Aviani each added a goal, while Annabelle Hamilton had a pair of assists.

Emily Corbett and Emma Cochran split time in goal and combined for the shutout.

BASKETBALL: Jack Kraft, who guided Villanova to the 1971 NCAA title game and coached such players as Wali Jones, Bill Melchionni and Howard Porter, died Thursday in New Jersey. He was 93.

Kraft coached the Wildcats for a dozen seasons and finished with 238 victories and a .715 winning percentage.

He later coached at the University of Rhode Island

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS

UFC 177: T.J. Dillashaw will be making his first title defense Saturday night in Sacramento, California, against a last-minute replacement after Renan Barao was removed from the rematch after reportedly feeling ill during his weight cut.

Barao was replaced by bantamweight Joe Soto (15-2), who was scheduled to fight on the undercard against Anthony Birchak.

Dillashaw and Soto are scheduled for a five-round bout. Birchak’s new opponent was not immediately announced.

SOCCER

WORLD CUP: Russian President Vladimir Putin has ruled out cutting any of the 11 host cities for the 2018 World Cup despite repeated recommendations from FIFA head Sepp Blatter.

Asked whether Russia could be stripped of the hosting rights amid a dispute with UEFA over the status of football clubs in Crimea, Putin simply said: “I hope not.”

CYCLING

SPANISH VUELTA: Alessandro de Marchi of Italy pulled away from a small breakaway group to win an accident-filled seventh stage, while Alejandro Valverde maintained the overall lead.

Former Tour de France champion Chris Froome fell early in the stage and cut his right hip, but he managed to get back on his bike and finished strongly, shaving two seconds off Valverde’s lead.

– From staff and news services

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