Offtopic/fun » in doubt Saturdays tough home clash with tt

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. -- UConn kicker Bobby Puyol sought out Virginia kicker Alex Furbank after the Huskies 13-10 win over the Cavaliers on Saturday.Puyol had hit the game winner from 43-yards out with 1:33 left, then watched from the sideline as Furbank, a walk-on playing in his first football game at any level, missed a 20-yard field-goal attempt for Virginia as time expired.I just told him, `Man youre going to do a good job, youre going to get plenty more kicks, Puyol said. Sometimes you make them, sometimes you dont.It was the second game winner this season for Puyol, who had three extra points blocked a year ago. His 37-yard field goal with 11 seconds left beat Maine in the Huskies season-opener.I just knew, Puyol said. I said, `Get it down in field-goal range, ready to go and Ill make it.UConn Quarterback Bryant Shirreffs completed 13 of 24 passes for 154 yards. He also ran for 33 yards and a touchdown as the Huskies (2-1), overcame an early 10-0 deficit with two fourth-quarter scores.A 20-yard run by Shirreffs and a 23-yard screen play to Noel Thomas set up Puyols game winner.But Virginia (0-3) got the ball back and moved right down the field. A 33-yard strike down the left side from Kurt Benkert to Doni Dowling put the Cavaliers in UConn territory. It appeared they would at least send the game into overtime after Benkert hit Keeon Johnson with a 34-yard fourth-down pass to put the ball inside the UConn 10.The Husky defense stiffened, stopping Benkerts keeper at the 2-yard line on third down. The Cavaliers, who had no timeouts remaining, were able to rush the field-goal unit onto the field. But Furbank pulled the ball left.I know I rushed the kick a little bit and thats 100 percent on me, he said.It was the 17th straight road loss for Virginia, and leaves first-year coach Bronco Mendenhall still looking for his 100th career win. He was 99-43 during his 11-year tenure at BYU.Im proud of the way my team played today, he said. They fought hard from the beginning and I think they took a step forward again today.Virginia opened the scoring with first quarter drives of 12 and 13 plays. The first led to a 23-yard field goal from Furbank. It was the sophomores first football kick. He played soccer at Division III Randolph-Macon before transferring to Virginia.A 90-yard drive ended in a 9-yard touchdown run by Albert Reid that made it 10-0.UConn drove to the Virginia 2-yard line in the second quarter but had to settle for a 21-yard field goal.The Huskies missed several second-half scoring chances.A third-quarter UConn drive was thwarted when Juan Thornhill out-dueled Husky receiver Noel Thomas in the end zone and came up with an interception. A fourth-quarter drive ended when Arkeel Newsome dropped a pitch and the fumble was recovered by Virginias Andrew Brown.But Huskies got the ball right back when Jamar Summers intercepted Benkert. It was the first pick of the season for Summers, who had eight last season.The Huskies, helped by interference and face mask calls on Virginia, drove 37-yards in nine plays to tie the game. Shirreffs ran the ball in on a sweep from a yard out.Virginia then drove to the UConn 24-yard line, but a run by Albert Reid on fourth-and-1 came up short.It was painful, thats all I can say, Reid said. There were plenty of plays on the field that we didnt make.Newsome ran 13 times for 90 yards for UConn. Benkert completed 23 of 42 passes for 241 yards. Reid (73 yards) and running back Taquan Mizzell (66) combined for 139 yards.THE TAKEAWAYVIRGINIA: The Cavaliers continued to make too many mistakes to win. They were penalized 10 times for 91 yards. The team had not won away from Charlottesville since Nov. 3, 2012, when Virginia beat North Carolina State 33-6.UCONN: The Huskies three games this season have been decided by a total of 10 points. It was an important win for Connecticut, which lost last week at Navy when it was stopped inside the 1-yard line as time expired.UP NEXTVIRGINIA: After traveling more than 6,000 miles over the last two weeks to play at Oregon and Connecticut, the Cavaliers return home to face Central Michigan next SaturdayUCONN: The Huskies play their second straight home game against an ACC opponent when they face Syracuse next Saturday. The Huskies play three non-conference games against the ACC this year. They will travel to Boston College in November.Gareth Bale Jersey . With Parker having a quiet game for once, Nicolas Batum and Boris Diaw provided the scoring as France won its first major basketball title by beating Lithuania 80-66 on Sunday. 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Aaron Ramsey Wales Jersey . -- Yogi Ferrell orchestrates pretty much everything in Indianas offence.Yasiel Puig?returned to the Los Angeles Dodgers?on Friday after a one-month stint at Triple-A Oklahoma City, going 2-for-4 in a?4-2 loss to the visiting?San Diego Padres.Im happy that I was given the opportunity again, Puig said Friday through an interpreter before the game. It was helpful for me to go to Oklahoma City and being able to share with the coaches there and with other players. It just helps me moving forward.Puig started in right field and batted fifth against the Padres. His two singles boosted his batting average to?.263. He has seven home runs and 34 RBIs in 281 at-bats.He grounded out with the bases loaded in the third. He singled and went to second on a throwing error in the seventh, but the Dodgers ended the inning with consecutive strikeouts.It was really good to see him back in the lineup, manager Dave Roberts said. His energy and focus was good. He ran hard.Puig said it was a little strange to be back with the Dodgers but that he had learned how to be more disciplined and a better teammate.Five minutes ago, I was talked to by my teammates, and they explained to me what they needed from me, Puig said. That was really what I was looking for was a talk with my teammates, a talk with everyone and have an understanding of what was needed from me to succeed with this team. Now Im going to get to work, and hopefully you will see the success of 2013. Thats what I will be working for.He also said he hadnt worried about whether he would return.I was just doing my job in Oklahoma, he said. I was doing the things I wasnt doing here. They made the right choice sending me down there. But now I was doing the correct things to come back. Im here now and grateful for the opportunity.Earlier thiis week, Roberts said he was unsure whether Puig, who had been at Oklahoma City since Aug.dddddddddddd 2, would be called up. MLB rosters expanded Thursday.Roberts and Andrew Friedman, president of baseball operations, first discussed bringing Puig back with a handful of veteran players.If they said that they didnt want him, I would have been surprised, Roberts said. They know the character of Yasiel and what he can bring to help us win baseball games, and thats the ultimate goal. I certainly would have been surprised if they had nixed the idea.Puig was placed on revocable waivers last month, and at least one team claimed him. Fox Sports reported Friday that team was the Milwaukee Brewers and the legitimate attempt at a trade involved outfielder Ryan Braun.This is my job, Puig said. I can only do what helps me to play better and to be a good teammate. The rest is not up to me. I dont decide those things. If I am here in Los Angeles, I am going to take advantage of the opportunity and enjoy the city. If its with another team, that is something I cant control, but I am thankful for the opportunity, but I will do my best to try and be a good teammate.His addition could help a Dodgers lineup that has struggled against left-handed pitching this season and was nearly no-hit by San Francisco Giants lefty Matt Moore last week.Through Fridays games, the Dodgers were last in the National League against left-handers in batting average (.220), on-base percentage (.297) and slugging percentage (.340).ESPN staff writer Doug Padilla and The Associated Press contributed to this report. ' ' '