U.S. wins in Queens Cup friendly
CHEONAN, South Korea, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- Natasha Kai had a goal and an assist Tuesday in pacing the U.S. women's national soccer team to a 2-0 victory over Australia in a match in South Korea.
The game was the second of three round-robin matches for the United States, which played to a 1-1 draw Sunday against Denmark in the 2006 Peace Queen Cup tournament.
Kai was making her first start for the United States and assisted on Kristine Lilly's goal in the 20th minute and got a score of her own in the 35th minute off an assist by Abby Wambach.
The United States wraps up Group B Thursday against the Netherlands. The Group B winner -- the United States has a 1-point lead over Australia -- plays the Group A winner for the 2006 Peace Queen Cup championship. Canada, 2-0, leads Group A.
Report: LB Merriman to drop appeal
SAN DIEGO, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman plans to drop an appeal of a four-game suspension for substance abuse, The New York Times reported.
The newspaper quoted a person close to negotiations between Merriman's attorney and an NFL official as saying the player would drop the appeal Wednesday.
If the suspension goes into affect this week, Merriman could return to the Chargers for their Dec. 3 game against Buffalo.
Merriman's attorney David Cornwell said Merriman apparently tested positive for nandrolone, an anabolic steroid in a nutritional supplement Merriman uses.
Merriman, who had 10 sacks last season, tied a career high with three sacks in San Diego's 38-24 victory Sunday over St. Louis. He has 8 1/2 sacks on the season, tied with Green Bay's Aaron Kampman for the league lead.
San Diego is 5-2 and tied with Denver for first in the AFC West.
Kansas center Kaun to miss 3-6 weeks
LAWRENCE, Kan., Oct. 31 (UPI) -- A knee injury will keep Kansas junior center Sasha Kaun on the sidelines for three to six weeks, Jayhawks Coach Bell Self said Tuesday.
Kaun injured his right knee during a workout Sunday. Self said the 6-foot-11, 245-pound Kaun suffered a partial tear of his patella tendon.
"I think he just planted his leg wrong when he jumped," Self said. "To be honest, we're a little fortunate because we thought (Sunday) it was worse than what it was."
Kaun started 29 of 33 games for Kansas last season, averaging 8.2 points and 5.3 rebounds a game.
Kansas, which is rated No. 3 in the preseason ESPN/USA Today coaches poll, opens its season Thursday with an exhibition against Washburn (Kan.).
Reports: RB Martin's career may be over
HEMPSTED, N.Y., Oct. 31 (UPI) -- New York Jets running back Curtis Martin, who has a knee injury, will not play the rest of the season and his NFL career may be over, it was reported Tuesday.
The Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger said several players and a team official told it Martin, fourth on the all-time NFL rushing list, will not play this season.
Martin had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in December but a bone-on-bone condition continues, the newspaper said.
Jets Coach Eric Mangini set a deadline of next week for Martin to return to practice. If he doesn't rejoin the team, the Jets would have to place the running back on injured reserve, ending his season.
The injury may be severe enough that the 33-year-old will not play again, the Star-Ledger said.
Martin, 33, has been with the Jets since 1998 and owns several team records, including yards (10,302), touchdowns (58) and 100-yard games (43).
In his career, which also includes three seasons with the New England Patriots, Martin has rushed for 14,101 yards and 90 touchdowns in 168 games.
