UPI NewsTrack Sports

Pierce leads Boston to fourth straight win

BOSTON, Jan. 27 (UPI) -- Paul Pierce turned in his second clutch performance in as many nights Friday, scoring 28 points in pacing the Boston Celtics to a 94-87 decision over Indiana.

Pierce played 44 minutes Thursday in bringing the Celtics back from a 27-point deficit against Orlando, scoring 24 points and handing out 10 assists in the process.

Friday, he added 10 rebounds and eight assists against the Pacers in 34 minutes, boosting the Celtics to their fourth consecutive victory. Boston climbed back to the breakeven mark after losing eight of its first 12 games this season.

Chris Wilcox had 14 points for Boston while both Kevin Garnett and Mickael Pietrus had 13. The Celtics had as much as a 13-point lead early in the fourth quarter after trailing by one early in the third period.

Danny Granger scored 21 points for the Pacers, who had won seven of their previous 10. Indiana played its 12th road game of the campaign, twice as many as it has played at home.

U.S. women reach Olympic soccer tourney

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 27 (UPI) -- Late goals by Carli Lloyd and Alex Morgan Friday wrapped up a 3-0 win over Costa Rica that clinched a berth in the Olympics for the U.S. women's soccer team.

Eight countries have been playing in a two-week tournament to determine the two Olympic representatives from North America.

The teams that reached the championship match of this tourney were assured of a trip to the Olympics in London this summer. Friday's triumph put the Americans in the finals against either Canada or Mexico.

The Americans outscored their opponents 31-0 in their three group games.

Tobin Heath put the United States in front in the 16th minute, but it was not until Lloyd scored in the 72nd minute that the Americans had some breathing room.

The United States got a break early in the game when Costa Rica's Karol Sanchez hit the crossbar.

The American team has won three of the four Olympics in which women's soccer has been played, including a gold medal triumph over Brazil four years ago in Beijing.

The Olympic women's tournament will include 12 countries. Japan, North Korea, France Sweden, Brazil, Colombia and Britain have qualified for the Games.

Stanley holds 36-hole lead on PGA Tour

LA JOLLA, Calif., Jan. 27 (UPI) -- Kyle Stanley came within a shot of the 36-hole tournament record Friday while taking the lead midway through the Farmers Insurance Open.

Stanley shot a 4-under 68 over the Torrey Pines South Course for a two-day total of 14-under 130. Brant Snedeker, who had a 64 over North Course, finished at 131.

Stanley, seeking his first PGA Tour victory, and a co-leader after the first round, suffered a double-bogey at the par-4 14th hole to spoil an otherwise solid round.

Sang-Moon Bae and Martin Flores, both hoping for a breakthrough week on the tour, shared third at 12-under 132. Both fired a 67 Friday on the South Course, the more difficult of the two used for this event.

Bae, a winner 11 times in Asia, earned a spot on the tour this season by surviving the PGA's qualifying tournament late last year. Flores gained his exemption by finishing 24th on last year's Nationwide Tour money list. The top 25 on that list made it onto the tour.

Defending FedEx Cup champion Bill Haas and Hunter Mahan were tied for fifth at 134.

Spencer Levin, who shared the opening-round lead with Stanley, stumbled to a 76 on the South Course and slipped back into a tie for 20th at 138.

Phil Mickelson, who has won this event three times, missed the cut by three shots. He will be back in action next week when the tour moves to Scottsdale, Ariz.

All those who survived the cut will compete on the South Course over the final two rounds.

Harvard takes lead in Ivy League

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Jan. 27 (UPI) -- Laurent Rivard scored 18 points Friday in pacing No. 23 Harvard to a 65-35 decision over Yale that put the Crimson atop the Ivy League standings.

Harvard took a 30-19 lead at halftime and coasted from there while posting its fifth consecutive win.

Rivard went 5-of-8 from the field, made two 3-pointers and hit all six of his foul shots. Steve Moundou-Missi came off the bench to add 10 for the Crimson.

Harvard improved to 17-2 for the season, its losses coming against Connecticut and Fordham, and is 3-0 in conference play. Pennsylvania, which will not play again until next Monday, is 2-0.

The Ivy League is the only conference in major college basketball in which the regular-season champion is awarded an automatic NCAA Tournament berth.

Yale (12-5, 2-1) was led by Greg Mangano with 17 points. No other player had more than four.

The Bulldogs made only 13 field goals and committed 22 turnovers.