spectacular diving catch to rob pinch-hitter Lonnie Chis

Team GBs women came to Rio with medal aspirations but return home having finished fourth in the sevens at the 2016 Olympics. It wasnt for a lack of heart but at key moments their discipline was found wanting as they fell in the bronze medal match to Canada.For so long it looked like Team GB were going to be genuine contenders to make the final. They breezed through their group with three wins from three -- including a 22-0 triumph over Canada -- then made light work of Fiji in the quarterfinals only to run into the Portia Woodman-inspired New Zealand.Reduced to five players at half-time with Katy McLean shown yellow for pulling back the Woodman as she attempted to sprint clear and Amy Wilson Hardy then sin-binned, perhaps harshly, for catching Ruby Tui in the air it just gave them too much to do. In the end the Woodman-inspired Black Ferns cutting edge proved too much as they closed out a 25-7 triumph.Then Canada shut them out 33-10 in the bronze medal match - captain Emily Scarratt was sin-binned for a knock on - to leave the squad devastated.It wasnt in the script. With a host of World Cup-winners in their ranks, they would have fancied their chances of taking away gold -- that was certainly the pre-Games message from coach Simon Middleton. But in the end theyll be left pondering those horrible what ifs.We couldnt really live with the pace, and we hurt ourselves with a few of the things that we did, Middleton said. There are a lot of young players in there, and hopefully we will get another shot at the Olympics next time around, and we will be better for it.Looking back over the three days there are plenty of positives to take from their performances: Scarratt was imperious under the high ball, Jo Watmore, their player of the Games, played brilliantly in getting her six tries while the experience from the tournament will put them in good stead heading forward.But will come as no immediate consolation.I just feel empty, Team GBs Heather Fisher said. We werent the best team. We set out for gold, lost to New Zealand and then had to focus on bronze and left ourselves too much to do at half-time. You dont go on the pitch to lose, you go on the pitch to give your absolute all to win. You hope that when you turn up you will do what you have worked for your whole life. New Zealand were the better team in the first game but we didnt show up against Canada.Despite their disappointment at how they fared in Rio, there are reasons for real optimism for the womens sport in Britain. The Rugby Football Union will be awarding 48 contracts with 16 full-time for the 2016-17 season with a focus on 15s with England heading to next summers World Cup as defending champions. At grassroots level, the number of women playing the game is rising year-on-year with over 18,000 currently playing the sport with a programme launched in 2014 to take the game to 100,000 new players.Wales showed signs of improvement in the previous Six Nations, had Jasmine Joyce in the GB squad and now have the hugely experienced Rowland Phillips in charge of the national 15s side. And Scottish Rugby are hoping to double the number of women and girls playing the game in their part of the world by 2020.Its all positive for the womens sport. Those who made the long trip to the Deodoro Stadium or watched it from afar wouldve seen GB play with heart, make gainline-breaking runs and create stunning tries but in the end, it was not enough for a medal. Custom Soccer Jerseys China . Oaklands loss to Seattle clinched the ALs best record for the Red Sox with one day to spare in the regular season. "I think everybody was kind of watching," catcher David Ross said. "Demp (Ryan Dempster) came out before he went to the bullpen and was just yelling that they lost. Custom Soccer Jerseys Store . Tests earlier this week revealed a Grade 2 left hamstring strain for Sabathia, who was hurt in last Fridays start against San Francisco. Its an injury that will require about eight weeks to heal. He finished a disappointing campaign just 14-13 with a career-worst 4. http://www.customjerseyssoccer.com/ . Wall made the comment in a speech to a Regina business crowd that included Lesnar. The U.S. wrestler and retired mixed martial artist says he was visiting his brothers farm in Saskatchewan and decided he wanted to hear what the premier had to say. Cheap Custom Soccer Jerseys . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about No. Custom Soccer Jerseys Sale . Hamelin, who triumphed in the 500 on Saturday, edged out Victor An of Russia by 0.021 seconds to maintain his lead in the World Cup standings. Russias Vladimir Grigorev was third. In the relay, Canada took control six laps from the finish line to beat Russia and the Netherlands. OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Athletics used a steady stream of big hits from three rookies and one big blast from a veteran slugger to end their latest losing skid.Its not enough to take the sting out of Oaklands worst season in nearly 20 years, not by any stretch.Given all thats gone on over the week with his ballclub, manager Bob Melvin gladly welcomed it.Khris Davis hit a three-run homer and scored three times while rookies Chad Pinder and Bruce Maxwell recorded their first career RBI, and the As beat the Cleveland Indians 9-1 on Tuesday night to snap a three-game losing streak.Its fun to watch, Melvin said. Guys getting their first RBI, playing full games, not subbing guys out, not hitting for guys. You think back and remember what your first RBI and so forth was like so it adds a little bit more to it.Davis had struck out in six consecutive at-bats before hitting his 33rd home run of the season off starter Danny Salazar, an opposite field shot that gave the As an early lead. Thats the most by an Oakland player since Jack Cust hit 33 in 2008.Danny Valencia added two hits in his first game back in the As lineup after being fined following a clubhouse fight with teammate Billy Butler while rookie Ryon Healy had three hits including two doubles.Weve been focused on a lot of negatives lately, and we dont have a lot of wins, Valencia said. But actually weve had a lot of positive things, especially with the younger guys.One of those younger guys is left-hander Sean Manaea.Manaea (5-8) allowed three hits and one run over seven innings for his second win since June 29. Manaea walked two and fanned eight to become the first As rookie pitcher to reach 100 strikeouts since Dan Straily in 2013.Chris Gimenez homered for the Indians, who went into the day with the best record in the AL.One day after being shut out for the eighth time this season, Oakland bounced back with one of its best offensive games in weeks to end a four-game losing streak to Cleveland.Eight As had at least one hit while six had one RBI or more.Yonder Alonso had a sacrifice fly in the second inning and Pinder added a run-scoring singlle to push the As lead to 5-0.ddddddddddddSalazar (11-5) left after giving up a leadoff double in the fifth. The right-hander allowed six runs to match a career high and walked three with two strikeouts in his second start since coming off the disabled list.I thought he was up with too many fastballs and because of that it didnt really seem like they had to respect his off speed pitches, Indians manager Terry Francona said. The hope is that he gets some repetition including side days and stuff and gets back to the Danny we saw in the first half.Manaea didnt allow a hit until Mike Napolis two-out single in the fourth. Napoli was thrown out at second base trying to extend the hit into a double.Gimenez homered leading off the sixth.DEFENSIVE GEMSValencia made the first of two big defensive plays when he hustled to chase down Napolis single to right then threw him out at second base. In the eighth, As center fielder Jake Smolinski made a spectacular diving catch to rob pinch-hitter Lonnie Chisenhall of extra bases.I didnt think he had a chance at it, Melvin said of Smolinskis catch. When I turned and looked up he was basically full speed then made a complete headlong dive to get it. First out of the inning, thats a big play.TRAINERS ROOMAthletics: Former closer Sean Doolittle (strained left shoulder) will make one more rehab appearance for Triple-A Tacoma on Thursday and could rejoin Oakland shortly thereafter. ... SS Marcus Semien will miss the next two days to be with his wife and newborn child. Melvin expects the team to make a roster move to replace Semien, who could wind up on the paternity list.UP NEXTIndians: RHP Trevor Bauer (9-5) faces Oakland for the second time this season on Wednesday. Bauer left with no decision after allowing two home runs over 5 1/3 innings against the As on July 29.Athletics: Kendall Graveman (9-8) pitches for Oakland and has eight wins in his last 10 decisions but the right-hander is winless in three career starts against the Indians. ' ' '