Sports briefs

WOMEN'S WORLD CUP

Wambach: Yellow cards targeted

Abby Wambach, in a story in USA Today, suggested that U.S. midfielders Megan Rapinoe and Lauren Holiday had been "purposefully" given the yellow cards that will cause them to be suspended for the Women's World Cup quarterfinal against China on Friday. Rapinoe and Holiday both received their second yellow cards of the tournament during the USA's 2-0 victory over Colombia in the round of 16. The cards were given by French referee Stephanie Frappart. "It seemed like she was purposefully giving those yellows to the players she knew were sitting on yellows. I don't know if it was just a psychological thing. Who knows?" Wambach was quoted as saying in U.S. Today.

Japan heads to quarterfinals

Mizuho Sakaguchi scored what turned out to be the deciding goal in the 78th minute on a pretty left-footed shot from the top of the 18-yard box, and defending Women's World Cup champion Japan held off a late attack to defeat the Netherlands, 2-1 and reach the quarterfinals in Vancouver, British Columbia.

NHL

Salary cap set at $71.4 million

The NHL's salary ceiling, and the floor that each team must reach, keeps rising. The league and the NHL Players Association announced that based on revenues, the salary cap for the 2015-16 season will be $71.4 million, up $2.4 million from $69 million last season. But that is less than the $4.7-million jump from the 2013-14 season, and teams with already high payrolls will be forced to shed some salaries via trades or not extending contracts. Nine teams, including the Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks, the Rangers, Flyers, Canadiens and Bruins, are already above $59 million, with players to add. The floor was set at $52.8 million, up slightly from $51 million and far higher than $44 million in 2013-14.

3-on-3 overtimes next season

The NHL plans to play three-on-three overtime next season. The league's general managers and the NHL Players' Association agreed yesterday to change its regular-season overtime period from four-on-four hockey to three-on-three. The Board of Governors still must approve the change today when it meets in Las Vegas. The board also will consider a recommendation to allow coaches to challenge goalie interference calls and offside goals.

BaseballVanderbilt tops TCU in CWS

Zander Wiel's home run leading off the seventh inning broke up Alex Young's no-hit bid, Philip Pfeifer and Kyle Wright combined on a five-hitter and Vanderbilt defeated TCU, 1-0, in the College World Series at Omaha, Neb.

-- AP