WNBA Finals: Aces Take 2-0 Series Lead Beating Mercury 91-78

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Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young (0) is fired up after making a three pointer in second half action against the Phoenix Mercury in game two of the WNBA Finals at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas Sun Oct 5, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

After an extremely close game one, the Las Vegas Aces (2-0) took it to the Phoenix Mercury (0-2) dominating them in the second game of the series winning by the score of 91-78. The Aces had taken more than a 20 point lead during the fourth quarter.

Las Vegas played three amazing quarters after a slow first quarter. Jackie Young had the game high with 32 points and eight rebounds, A’Ja Wilson finished with a double double 28 points and 14 rebounds.

Chelsea Gray came so very close to a triple double with 10 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds. Las Vegas takes a 2-0 series lead into game three in Phoenix next Wednesday.

Game recap: Much like Friday’s game the Mercury got a hot start leading 7-0 before the Aces even got up on the scoreboard. Phoenix took as much as an eight point lead before the Aces started to chip away at their lead.

With 3:39 left in the first quarter the Aces had tied the game at 16 going on to take their first lead of the game 18-16 with 3:17 left on the clock. This opening quarter was played at a feverish pace by both teams and after the first ten minutes of play, the Mercury had a 27-24 lead.

Las Vegas came into the second quarter red-hot. They erased the Mercury’s lead taking a 38-33 lead at the four minutes mark. Phoenix had taken as much as a 31-24 lead before the Aces started to really cook.

A’Ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray were instrumental in the turnaround. Wilson scored nine points in an 11-0 run by Las Vegas leading 38-33 with under four minutes left in the half.

The Wilson-Gray connection continued through the rest of the quarter. It was a 20 point half of basketball for Wilson she had outscored Phoenix in the quarter all by herself. At the half the Aces had a 46-37 lead. The Aces had an amazing defense in the second quarter and combined with the brilliance of Wilson Las Vegas was rolling.

Each team had eight turnovers in a highly competitive first half of basketball. There had been a 17 point swing in the first two quarters thanks to Wilson who had been unstoppable in the second quarter.

Both Jackie Young and Gray were on the verge of double digits and they had both laid a lot of the groundwork for Wilson. The Aces would be looking to take this momentum into the second half of play.

The Aces took several double digit leads throughout the third quarter. Despite that, this game was hardly over as Phoenix cut the 12 point Las Vegas lead to eight 55-47 six minutes into the quarter.

Both of these teams have the ability to erase opposing team leads in a flash. At 2:35, however the Aces took their largest lead of the game 65-51. Both Young and Gray had double digits, Young with 28 points.

Young had 19 points in the third quarter so far. Going into the fourth quarter the Aces had a 76-61 lead and Young had a new WNBA finals record with 21 points scored in the third. She finished with 30 points through three quarters. The Aces now had to take care of business in the fourth quarter and close this game out.

The Aces effort in the fourth quarter was off the charts. They pushed their lead over the Mercury to 22 points 83-61 at 8:44. Las Vegas was on a mission and there would be no stopping them.

The Mercury fought back cutting the Aces 22 point lead to 15 with a 7-0 run but they would not be able to overcome the deficit. The Las Vegas offense pushed their lead back out to 90-71 with 5:44 left on the clock.

The Mercury fought a good fight and did cut the Aces lead to 12 points 90-78 with under two minutes left in the game but the Aces held on without Wilson on the floor winning game two 91-78 taking a 2-0 series lead.

This was without doubt the Wilson, Young and Gray show. They rose to the occasion and played some beautiful basketball on both ends of the court, in fact the entire team was outstanding. It was a total team effort through three quarters.

The bench was on the quiet side but when one struggles, someone on the team picks it up something that has made them so very successful. Young had the game high with 30 points and eight rebounds. Wilson had a double double with 28 points, 14 rebounds and Gray came close to a triple double with ten points, ten assists and eight rebounds. Lloyd had nine points and seven rebounds off the bench.

Game notes: The atmosphere was electric at Michelob ULTRA Arena as the Aces took on the Mercury in game two of the WNBA Finals. In Friday’s game one the Aces despite trailing for much of game one came away with the win 89-86 in a hotly contested game. They came on strong in the fourth quarter outscoring the Mercury 22-15 which was the turning point in that game.

The Aces got their starters to step up but also their bench which was solid in game one. Jewell Loyd finished that game with 18 point but Dana Evans had an amazing game scoring 21 points. The Las Vegas bench was a huge factor in the win to start off the series. The Aces took game two for a 2-0 lead in the series before they head to Phoenix for games 3 and 4 on Wednesday and Friday nights.

The Aces now take their 2-0 series lead into Phoenix for game three. That game will be played at PHX Arena next Wednesday with tipoff scheduled for 5:00 PM. The Aces will be looking to take at least one game of the two games played in Phoenix and bring a 3-1 lead back home to Michelob ULTRA Arena.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Major League Baseball Leader in Hispanic Heritage

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Former San Francisco Giant first baseman Orlando Cepeda was one of the many Hispanic players in the National League in the 1960s. Cepeda is a member of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Heritage Hall of Fame Museum. (New York Times file photo)

Major League Baseball Leader in Hispanic Heritage

That’s Amauiry News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

The US government designated National Hispanic Heritage Month as a one-month celebration, starting on September 15 and ending on October 15, in 1989 under President George H.W. Bush. Some of the earliest documented celebrations among all US professional sports leagues, like MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLS, originated from Major League Baseball organizations, given the league’s long history with Hispanic/Latino players.

The National League of professional baseball clubs is the oldest professional sports league in the United States, founded in 1876. Major League Baseball (MLB) has the highest percentage of Hispanic/Latino players among the major professional sports leagues in the U.S.

With over 30% of players identified as Latino, and a rich history of talent from countries such as, (in alphabetical order) Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, México, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Panamá, Venezuela and other smaller countries like Aruba, Bahamas, Honduras and Curacao.

Here in the Bay Area, the San Francisco Giants have been leaders in recognizing Hispanic/Latino communities as well as one of the leaders nationwide. These celebrations are conducted by the team(s) not only because of the Hispanic talent on their rosters, but also for the Hispanic/Latino communities in which they play and the many Hispanics who are fans and support their teams.

Of the three most populous cities in the Bay Area, San José, Oakland, and San Francisco, San José is the largest, with at least 33% of its population being Hispanic, followed by Oakland at 29% and San Francisco at 16%. According to the latest 2020 US Census.

The Bay Area is one of the most diverse areas in the US and the world, and teams draw a great number of fans of Hispanic Heritage. Since the Oakland Athletics left the Bay Area after the 2024 season, the Giants have become the “only Major League” baseball team that plays within the nine-county Bay Area, with a total population of approximately 8 million people.

Overall, at the time of the 2020 Census, there were 65.3 million Americans who were Hispanic or Latino. Only México, with 130 million, has more Spanish speakers than the United States of America. The importance of Sports teams’ marketing to the largest minority in the country is just good business Down in LA.

There is no precise figure for the number of Hispanic/Latino fans of the LA Dodgers who attended Dodger Stadium. this season. However, considering the Dodgers’ attendance was over four million fans, and Los Angeles is 50% Hispanic(some say more), you do not need to be Isaac Newton or Archimedes to figure out that 1 million Spanish-speaking fans is a very possible figure for the Dodgers, the team leading the Hispanic market in all US professional leagues.

However, this is nothing new for the Dodgers; they have long recognized the importance of their Hispanic community. The relationship between a team and its fans is frequently viewed as symbiotic. Success is seen as something achieved together, lifted by those around you.

Recognition plays a role in this relationship, reinforcing positive connections. Teams that fail to recognize their own market are bound to fail. Hispanics are the largest consumer group in the US, representing a significant and fast-growing segment of the market with trillions of dollars in buying power that is projected to continue increasing.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com

Las Vegas Raiders podcast Rich Perez: Raiders crushed by Colts 40-6; Face struggling Titans next Sunday in Vegas

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Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) takes one in for a touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders defense in second half action at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Sun Oct 5, 2025 (AP News photo)

Las Vegas Raiders podcast Rich Perez:

#1 The Las Vegas Raiders (1-4) absolutely got ripped by the Indianapolis Colts (4-1) falling 40-6. Colts quarterback Daniel Jones had all day to throw.

#2 Jones was 20-29 for 212 yards and two touchdowns the Raiders pass rush just couldn’t get to him he got lots of protection up front.

#3 Raiders quarterback Geno Smith was running for his life against the Colts defense Smith was 25-36 for 228 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions.

#4 On rushing Ashton Jeanty ran 67 yards on 14 carries and on receptions Tre Tucker had four receptions for 62 yards.

#5 Up next for the Raiders the Tennessee Titans. This one is at home and the Titans have been struggling all season and had not won a game going into last Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Rich Perez does the Raiders home and away games each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

“Bad Football:” Coach Wilcox Doesn’t Mince Words After Cal Gets Blitzed By Duke In A 45-21 Loss

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By Morris Phillips

BERKELEY, CA–Depending on your perspective, ACC Football After Dark has never looked so bad, or if you tuned in after 11:30pm in Durham, North Carolina, has it looked so good.

If you missed the first quarter and change of the 7:30pm kickoff local time, you missed Cal’s confident start offensively in which they threw up a trio of touchdowns post haste. Jeron Keawe Sagapolutele started 9 for 9 passing with a touchdown pass, and looked like he had passed his first mid-term exams with such aplomb that he was immediately declared a sophomore.

Then, up 21-7 on favored Duke, the Cal Bears self-destructed.

Sagapolutele would finish the game with completions on 11 of his final 22 pass attempts, including three damaging interceptions. Having seen enough, Coach Justin Wilcox lifted his freshman quarterback for backup Devin Brown, who threw an interception on his only pass of the evening.

Meanwhile, Duke caught fire, scoring 24 points in the second quarter alone, and 38 unanswered points in total. The biggest contributor to Duke’s surge, according to Wilcox, was Cal’s sluggish, inattentive play defensively.

“Bad football. Bad football. Guys getting lined up late,” Wilcox said.

Simply, once Duke and quarterback Darian Mensah hit their stride, they strutted. The Blue Devils scored three touchdowns in less than seven minutes and took a 31-21 lead at the half.

When Cal’s defense stiffened in the third quarter, their offense wilted with punts on three, consecutive possessions before Duke piled it on with two, fourth quarter touchdowns. Sagapolutele looked rushed, and made bad decisions because of the pressure, which resulted in interceptions bookending the three fruitless possessions. Six Duke sacks didn’t help, nor did a running game that produced just 41 yards.

“Bad protection technique from Cal’s pass protectors,” Wilcox conceded. “We have to do a better job protecting.”

Two other big statistical numbers stood out in what is now the game in which Cal allowed the most points to an unranked team in Wilcox’s nine seasons as head coach: the Blue Devils registered 13 tackles for a loss of yardage, while their offense compiled 11 pass plays of at least 15 yards gained.

“We’re finally looking like the team I was hoping we would be and my excitement is thru the roof,” coach Manny Diaz said of his Duke team that improved to 4-2 with a 3-0 record in ACC play.

Utah Mammoth Close Out Preseason With 6-4 Victory Over The San Jose Sharks

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Utah Mammoth celebrate and defeat the San Jose Sharks at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City in pre season action on Sat Oct 4, 2025 (photo from the NHL)

Utah Mammoth Close Out Preseason With 6-4 Victory Over The San Jose Sharks

By Tom Walker

SALT LAKE CITY– The Utah Mammoth dropped its first of five preseason contests before winning the final two at the newly renovated Delta Center defeating the San Jose Sharks 6-4 on Saturday night.

The Utah Mammoth welcomed the San Jose Sharks to the Delta Center on Saturday night as both teams wrapped up their preseason schedule. On Thursday, Utah defeated the Los Angeles Kings for their first preseason win after dropping their first five. San Jose entered Saturday’s game with a 2-3-0 preseason record.

Just 28 seconds into the first period, the Sharks went on the power play as Mammoth defenseman John Marino was called for tripping against Adam Gaudette. Utah killed off the penalty and Marino had a breakaway when he was sprung from the box, but San Jose netminder Yaroslav Askarov turned it away as his teammates then took the puck up the ice with Adam Gaudette finding the back of the net with a backhand shot, assisted by Shakir Mukhamadullin and Jeff Skinner.

At 7:03 of the first, Mammoth defenseman Mikhail Sergachev converted a snap shot, assisted by Dylan Guenther and JJ Peterka, to tie things up. Less than 90 seconds later, Vincent Desharnais gave Utah its first power play of the evening with a tripping penalty against Jack McBain.

The Mammoth wasted no time converting the man advantage to claim a 2-1 lead as forward Dylan Guenther blasted a perfect pass from Mikhail Sergachev past Askarov with the additional assist to Clayton Keller. At 11:44 of the frame, Askarov turned away a shot from Utah forward JJ Peterka, but a diving Andrew Agozzino knocked in the rebound to put the Mammoth up 3-1.

Less than two minutes later, Utah forward Kailer Yamamoto tipped in a shot from Nate Schmidt to send the home team to the locker room sporting a commanding 4-1 lead.

Less than two minutes into the second period, San Jose’s Tyler Toffoli cut the deficit in half on a snap shot goal assisted by Alexander Wennberg. Barely a minute later, Barclay Goodrow made it a 1-goal game on a goal assisted by Adam Gaudette and Shakir Mukhamadullin.

At 13:39 of the period, with Utah forward JJ Peterka in the sin bin for slashing against Ethan Cardwell, Will Smith brought the Sharks all the way back with his first goal of the preseason, assisted by Macklin Celebrini and Tyler Toffoli. The two squads went to their locker rooms at the period intermission knotted up at 4 apiece.

Last October during the regular season, Utah coughed up a 4-1 lead and lost to San Jose in overtime, so there was a certain feeling of déjà vu heading into the third period. This time, however, Mammoth captain Clayton Keller ensured a different outcome.

At 4:55 of the third, Keller put the puck past Askarov to reclaim the lead, assisted by Sean Durzi and Nate Schmidt. At 11:11, newly acquired Utah forward Brandon Tanev put the game away for good with a backhand shot on a breakaway, unassisted, to give the home team a 6-4 victory to close out the preseason schedule with a 2-5-0 record. The Sharks finished the preseason at 2-4-0.

After the game, San Jose forward Macklin Celebrini talked about his rhythm and timing in his first game back. “It was good to just kind of get out there with our systems and with the guys and kind of just work through some stuff.”

On his assist to Will Smith, Celebrini added, “I mean, we practice a lot of different stuff on the entries, and I think you just kind of start to know where guys are going to be.” With regard to the second period comeback, he said, “I think our puck battles, the way we were able to kill plays in the defensive zone. I think that was the biggest part. They have some really skilled players on their team, and when they get going in the (offensive) zone, it’s tough to stop. So I think just cutting plays and getting out of our zone as quick as possible kind of led to that.”

Sharks Head Coach Ryan Warsofsky, when asked whether the second-period turnaround was more coach- or player-driven, responded, “I think and I hope it’s both, to be honest with you. I had a message, and I am sure that when I left, some of our leadership group had a message as well. So we did have a turnaround in the second period. I liked the second; we did some good things, but obviously we have some things to work on.” Speaking of his goaltender, Warsofsky commented, “I thought he battled. I have to give him credit. He battled. Probably wasn’t the start he wanted, and I think he hung in there and he battled.”

In the home locker room, Mammoth forward Brandon Tanev gave his first post-game interview in his new home. “Yeah, we of course loved our first period. A lot of good things to take away from it, but things got away from us in the second there. But ultimately, we dug down, and we understood what we were doing was wrong, then we had a great third period. There’s a lot of stuff that we liked and that we didn’t like, and it’s improvements throughout camp. You play the preseason, and there are a lot of games, moving bodies, a lot of things, and it’s understanding each other, how to play and how to play the right way. … Getting your legs back, getting your understanding of what you’re supposed to be doing on the ice, where you’re supposed to be, and playing as a team. Ultimately, I think we did that, especially in the third there.” What did he think about playing at Delta Center? “Yeah, it’s great. I mean, the fans here are unbelievable, the passion and energy. It’s definitely a hockey town, and I think we’re very fortunate to be playing in this arena in front of these fans, so we love it every game. And it’s been great so far, so we can’t wait for the regular season.”

Utah captain Clayton Keller talked about the team’s progress throughout preseason. “Yeah, it’s been good. We’ve gotten better each game and each day, we had a lot of guys banged up so we had some different line combinations. But I think the last two games and getting most of our roster together, trying to get that chemistry to get your wind. I thought we did a good job tonight.”

Mammoth Head Coach André Tourigny got straight to the point in his postgame remarks. “I obviously was really happy about the way we played for most of the game. I did not like the second period. I think it’s a good opportunity for us to learn. We were not as fast in the second period. We were not on our toes, and that cost us. I think we learned from there, and I really like the way we respond in the third.” Talking about the second period where Utah surrendered 3 goals to San Jose, Tourigny said, “There’s a timeline between being smart in your decision and being passive. You have to be patient, but you cannot be passive; we were trying to be patient in the second, and instead of being patient, we became passive. We take our best asset out of the game, which is our pace, our speed, our aggression on the forecheck, aggression on the track, and aggression on the way we close the neutral zone. So I think it was a good teaching moment for us to draw the line between passive and patient.” All things considered, Tourigny was happy with the outcome. “It’s business. The coach can arrive here and say I didn’t like the second period, but we only gave up 13 shots, as a team with our full lineup in our barn, and we scored six goals. So, if I’m not happy about that, I might have a problem and I need to see the doc right away.”

Utah begins the regular season October 9 on the road with games against Colorado, Nashville, and Chicago before returning to Salt Lake City on October 15 for their home opener against the Calgary Flames. San Jose will open their season October 9 at home against Las Vegas, Anaheim, and Carolina before returning to Utah for their first road game on October 17.

Stanford Cardinal podcast Daniel Dullum: Cardinal set to face SMU Sat Oct 11 in Dallas

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The Stanford Cardinal line up against the San Jose State University Spartans on Sat Sep 27, 2025 at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto. Stanford has a bye this week and play the SMU Mustangs on Sat Oct 11, 2025 in Dallas. (photo by Stanford Cardinal)

Stanford Cardinal podcast Daniel Dullum:

#1 What key plays or decisions swung the momentum in Stanford’s favor in the final minutes? That 4th‑and‑10 conversion by Stanford, or critical missed field goals by San José State? The Cardinal won this one 30-29.

#2 How did the quarterbacks perform under pressure, and which one made the biggest impact down the stretch? Spartans quarterback Walker Eget threw for 473 yards and 3 TDs, while Stanford quarterback Ben Gulbranson engineered a last‑minute drive.

#3 How did special teams especially field goal attempts and kicking influence the outcome of the game? San José State had multiple missed field goals that could have changed the final result.

#4 What does this result say about San José State’s ability to close out tight games against Power‑5 opponents? They’ve historically struggled in such matchups, and this one slipped away in the final minute.

#5 How does this game affect the trajectory or confidence of each team going forward in the season? For Stanford, a comeback win against a local rival; for SJSU a tough loss.

Daniel Dullum is a Stanford Cardinal podcaster at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Walker Eget, New Running Back Room Shine as Spartans Halt Late Comeback Attempt defeat New Mexico 35-28

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San Jose State University Spartans quarterback Walker Eget (5) gets a pass off against the visiting New Mexico Lobos at Spartan Stadium in San Jose on Sat Oct 3, 2025 (photo from Winners and Whiners)

by Austin Ota

SAN JOSE — Following a heartbreaking loss on the road in the Bill Walsh Legacy Game, San Jose State returned home and put on an offensive show for its home crowd, taking down Mountain West-foe New Mexico, 35-28.

With 2024 receiving triple crown winner Nick Nash watching his alma mater on the sidelines, the Spartans (2-3, 1-0 Mountain West) gashed a surging New Mexico Lobos (3-2, 0-1 Mountain West) defense.

“That’s a really good football team,” said head coach Ken Niumatalolo. “Coach Eck — what he’s done — they had to start from ground zero. Their team was 3-1, with some big wins. They’re well coached. That was a hard-fought win.”

After redshirt-senior quarterback Walker Eget fired a career-high 58 past attempts against the Cardinal, the Spartans opened the Friday night bout against the Lobos with a curveball: establishing the run. Five of the first ten plays from scrimmage were rushes, including a third down run from Steve Chavez-Soto to put the Spartans up early. At the end of their first drive, the Spartans ran three straight times, marking just the second time since opening night against Central Michigan they’ve done so.

San Jose State followed with its best defensive possession of the first half. Lobo quarterback Jack Layne, who followed head coach Jason Eck from FBS Idaho, showed his game-management tendencies early on as he weaved through the Spartan defense. But as New Mexico’s run-first offense churned through three- and four-year gains, they had turned field position after converting on a fourth-and-one try.

It was a continued theme for the Spartans, who entered the game having allowed 10 conversions on 12 fourth down tries.

But a pass defense that has also struggled turned the tide on the next play. Larry Turner-Gooden had originally lined up as the man-defender marking the Lobo running back, but as he recognized the flea-flicker try from the opposition, Turner-Gooden floated back into coverage and made an acrobatic play on the football along the boundary for the Spartans’ second interception of the season and more importantly, the first of the safeties’ career.

Eget continued to slice apart New Mexico’s defense, connecting with Matthew Coleman early in the second quarter to put the Spartans up by a pair of touchdowns. Eget was terrific through an early three-safety shell, surely placed by the Lobos following the Spartan air-raid against the Cardinal.

“The biggest thing is go by your rules, go by your keys,” said Eget. “Not overthinking it, take what they give to you. You can’t be getting bored of taking the easy throws or the easy completions.”

The two teams traded scores with a New Mexico rush touchdown and a 70-yard dime from Eget to leading receiver Danny Scudero. The Lobos scored quickly after, canvasing 78 yards when Layne took the top of San Jose State’s defense for a 42-yard gain and Scottre Humphrey pushed the pile for a 1-yard touchdown. Friday night’s first punt came at the end of the first half, and Lobo kicker Luke Drzewiecki drilled a 25-yarder to keep the Lobos in it at the half, 21-17.

Chavez-Soto capped a four-and-a-half-minute drive with his second touchdown of the game. With Jabari Bates sidelined for the rest of the year after sustaining a late injury against the Cardinal and Floyd Chalk IV’s status up in the air as the deadline to redshirt looms, players like Chavez-Soto and sophomore Lamar Radcliffe could be huge pieces for the Spartans going forward.

“Coach Smith always just says, ‘stay ready’,” said the freshman. “So that’s what I did, stay ready, and waited for my opportunity.”
 

New Mexico entered Friday with a top-35 rush defense which allowed just 111 rushing yards per game. Ratcliffe entered the night averaging just 2.6 yards per carry, and Chavez-Soto hadn’t had a single collegiate touch. On paper, it was the unstoppable force of New Mexico’s rush defense against the very movable force of an unproven San Jose State rush attack that had lost its top two rushers.

Instead, the Spartans ran the ball a season-high 36 times for 153 yards. Radcliffe himself had 15 for 64, while Chavez-Soto turned in two touchdowns and put up 71 yards.

And of course, as all good quarterbacks do, Eget shouted his offensive line out for how tremendous they were guiding the run.

“They could be a room that is so freakin’ good,” said Eget. “Once they really knew it, it’s going to keep going with a head of steam. We knew that they had the potential to be one of the best o-lines, not in the Mountain West, but really in college football.”

Minutes later, Layne was intercepted a second time after he was pressured by Noah McNeal-Franklin. Jalen Bainer finished the play, picking up his first interception of the year as well.

When Eget found Leland Smith with 2:42 to play in the third to put the Spartans up by 18, it felt like the game was on ice. Bainer picking off Layne again to start the fourth pushed the metaphorical dagger in even more.

“To be able to close it out,” said Niumatalolo, “those are the type of things that you have to do to win championships. You have to be able to close games out. You have to be able to convert third-and-shorts. And we did so many things offensively, I feel like it’s going to bode well for us as we make a push to the next game.”

But San Jose State punted a second time after a three-and-out. New Mexico State scored on a QB keeper just three minutes later, and converted the two-point conversion. Spartan punter Trent Carrizosa had to double-down and punt again with 6:48 to play.

Layne hit Keagan Johnson in stride twice in a three-minute span for a combined 45 yards to bring New Mexico in field goal range, but after Spartan corner Runye Norton broke up a third down pass, the Lobos drilled a 31-yard field goal to make it a one-score game.

Chavez-Soto converted on a second-and-long to put the game on ice.

The overall hero was Eget. After a strong showing against the Cardinal, he finished 26-of-30 passing with 327 yards, finishing three touchdowns to three different receivers. Even though sophomore Danny Scudero has been the focal point thus far for the Spartans, Eget showed the ability to spray the ball to any open receiver against New Mexico.

Niumatalolo sung his praises.

“To me, everything started with our quarterback,” said Niumatalolo. “He played like I knew he could play. I’ve been saying this, the Walker I saw in camp, the Walker I saw in spring ball. The offense I saw was that offense right there. But we’ve been rolling, and if Walker plays like that… he’s just opened up so many things. He’s going with the ball to the right spots. Throwing it to the right people. As well as I thought the offense played last week, I thought the offense did a better job of finishing their catches.”

Now up over 1,500 yards and nearing ten touchdowns on the year, Eget’s stellar play becomes an easy target for the Spartan offense to try and take aim for as they ride on the shoulders of their quarterback.

With eyes on continuing 1-0 in conference play every single week, the message is straightforward, and it seems that the Spartans have the pieces in place to play the message through. They’ll head to Wyoming next to take on the Cowboys, with kickoff set for 4 P.M.

San Jose Sharks podcast Mary Lisa: Sharks Nedeljkovic stops 28-29 shots against Knights; SJ in Utah tonight

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San Jose Sharks forward Quentin Musty (13) and defenseman Sam Dickinson (6) skate against the Vegas Golden Knights in pre season action at T Mobile Center in Las Vegas on Thu Oct 3, 2025 (photo by RJ Forbus – The Sporting Tribune)

San Jose Sharks game wrap:

#1 Which San Jose Sharks goaltenders will start, and how have their preseason performances compared leading into this game on Friday night?

#2 Which players are expected to make their season debut or return from injury for opening night on Oct 9?

#3 Ryan Reaves signed on Wednesday age 38 coming from the Toronto Maple Leafs and has over 1100 penalty minutes in a long career in 912 game played.

#4 What were some of the tactical adjustments the Sharks tried to counter with the Golden Knights’ strengths power play, transition game, forecheck?

#5 How has the historical head‑to‑head record between San Jose and Vegas shaped expectations for this game?

#6 Alexander Nedeljkovic (Nuh-del-koh-vich) made the start on Friday night against the Golden Knights stopping 28 out of 29 shots a pretty respectable outing how do you see coming into the regular season?

Join Mary Lisa for the San Jose Sharks podcast Saturdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sharks Win 4-1 in Vegas, Cardwell Hat Trick, Regenda with 4 Assists

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San Jose Sharks F Pavol Regenda (84) and San Jose Sharks F Egor Afanasyev (11) celebrate after a goal scored against the Vegas Golden Knights during an NHL preseason game on Friday October 3, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada. photo by RJ Forbus – The Sporting Tribune

By Mary Walsh

The San Jose Sharks defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-1 in Friday’s preseason matchup at T Mobile Center in Las Vegas. Ethan Cardwell (hat trick) and Egor Afanasyev scored for San Jose. Pavol Regenda assisted on all four Sharks goals. Alex Nedeljkovic made 29 saves for the win. Alexander Holtz scored for Vegas. Adin Hill made 16 saves in the loss.

The only goal of the first period went to the Sharks, scored by Ethan Cardwell at 1:18, a wrist shot off the rush. A neutral zone pass by Pavol Regenda sent Cardwell on his way.

The shot count in the first was 8-6 Vegas. There was a fight midway through the period between Jeremy Lauzon and Zack Ostapchuk. Vegas took one penalty (GT interference by Tomas Hertl) and San Jose took two penalties (cross-checking by Carl Grundstrom and tripping by Shane Bowers).

Egor Afanasyev made it 2-0 at 16:21 of the second period. On the power play, Afanasyev scored with a snap shot off a cross-ice pass from Regenda. Cardwell picked up an assist as well.

In the second period, the shots were x-x. The Sharks took a penalty to Will Smith for hooking Shea Theodore. Brett Howden and Jeremy Lauzon took penalties for Vegas, goaltender interference and interference respectively. At the end of the period, the Sharks’ Vincent Desharnais was called for roughing against Lauzon, putting the Golden Knights on the power play to start the third period.

Ethan Cardwell scored his second of the game at 6:48 of the third period. Regenda carried the puck through the neutral zone, then passed it to himself off the end boards before passing it back to Cardwell for the shot. An assist also went to Ostapchuk.

Alexander Holtz broke the shutout with a goal at 7:11 of the third. Holtz scored with a snap shot from the blue line. Assists went to Kaedan Korczak and Brandon Saad.

Ethan Cardwell completed his hat trick after Vegas pulled their goaltender. His third goal, like his first two, were set up by Pavol Regenda.

The Sharks play their final preseason game on Saturday, in Salt Lake City against the Utah Mammoth at 5:00 PM PT.

WNBA Finals: Aces Bench On Fire – Leads Las Vegas to Win Over Mercury 89-86 In Game One

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Phoenix Mercury forward Aylssa Thomas (25) drives on the Las Vegas Aces center A’Ja Wilson (22) in the first half at ULTRA Michelob Arena in Las Vegas on Fri Oct 3, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

LAS VEGAS–The Las Vegas Aces (1-0) trailed for much of this game but remained within striking distance for most of it ultimately beating the surging Phoenix Mercury (0-1) 89-86. The Aces bench was amazing with Dana Evans hitting 21 points.

She was 5 of 6 from downtown and 8 of 13 from the field. It was a fight from start to finish with Las Vegas closing out the game in the final seconds. Game two promises more of the same.

Game recap: The opening quarter was all Phoenix to start taking a 15-8 lead in the early minutes of the quarter. It was exactly the start that Phoenix was looking for. At the three minute mark the Aces begin to pick away at the Mercury lead.

With 50 seconds left on the clock the Aces tied up the game at 21 and as the opening quarter came to an end the tie remained.

The score remained close in the second quarter. with both teams trading leads. The Mercury began to take a bit of a lead in the latter minutes of the quarter and with 1:19 left in the half had a 50-42 lead over Las Vegas.

Kahleah Copper was having an amazing game hitting 5 of 6 from downtown shooting for 19 points in the first half. Phoenix had a 50-45 lead at the half outscoring the Aces 29-24 in the second quarter.

25 of the Aces points scored in the first half came from some stellar play off the bench. Jewell Loyd hit 13 points and Dana Evans had ten.

Wilson finished the half with nine points and Young had eight. They would be looking for more in the second half. They would need to really step it up to keep up with the surging Mercury. Wilson, Young and Gray had to push their limits in the third and fourth quarters.

The third quarter got underway and in a flash, the Aces scored the first six points of the quarter and Las Vegas had a 51-50 lead. The Mercury responded with a 7-0 run taking a 57-51 lead. Both of these teams were shooting around 50% from the field and the Aces had only turned the ball over four times.

The Mercury were also shooting at 50% from beyond the arc most of those shots coming from Copper who also had shot well from the field hitting 7 of 9. Gray took a hard hit in the quarter when she collided with Copper who received a flagrant foul type 1.

Gray who fouled while attempting a three successfully hit all three free throws tying up the game at 57. Gray would go to the locker room after the successful free throws and would return with her leg taped.

The Mercury took a 66-57 lead with under four minutes left in the quarter. Phoenix’s Sami Whitcomb took a terrible hit that sent her to the locker room for evaluation. She was able to reach the locker room with help.

The Aces were getting close throughout the quarter but were unable to take the lead . Every time they threatened the Mercury pushed right back continuing to hang onto the lead. Going into the fourth quarter, Phoenix had a 71-67 advantage.

The fourth quarter got underway hot and heavy with each team hitting a three but Phoenix continued to lead 74-70. Dana Evans hit the Aces seventh three of the game and Las Vegas trailed by a single point 76-75.

With 4:21 left in the game it was all tied up at 82. With 3:37 left on the clock Dana Evans hit her 5th three of the game giving the Aces an 85-82 lead. She had been spectacular all game. With seconds left in the game the Aces had a one-point lead 87-86.

Young was fouled with 13.6 seconds left in the game and made both free throws giving the Aces an 89-86 lead which turned out to be the final. The Aces had won an unbelievable opening act in this series.

The Las Vegas bench was outstanding collectively scoring 41 points. Evans had the high on the bench with 21 points. Wilson also had 21 points and ten assists. Loyd finished the game with 18 points. Young chipped in ten points in this hard-fought win in game one. The Aces protected the ball well in the game with only seven turnovers.

The high for the Mercury was Copper who scored 21 points. She scored 19 of those points in the first half was only able to hit one basket in the entire second half. The Mercury played an amazing game but were unable to close out the game at the end.

Game notes: Friday evening the Las Vegas Aces began their most important series of the 2025 season taking on the Phoenix Mercury in game one of the WNBA finals. The Aces will be looking for a third championship in the past four years. The Mercury are in the finals for the first time since 2021 and after upsetting the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the semi-final series will be looking to pull off another upset and take home the title.

The Aces have a far different vision with the amazing Wilson leading the charge and Young, Gray and Lloyd along for the ride. This game has all the makings of an amazing championship series between two of the best teams the WNBA has to offer.

With the series getting underway at Michelob ULTRA Arena the Aces start the series with the first two games at home. They will had the support of their fans and it was enough to really spark them to a win in this first game of the series.

The Aces will now try to take a two-game lead before going back to Phoenix for game three. Game two is scheduled to get underway this Sunday with tipoff at 12:00 PM in Vegas. Game two can be seen on ABC TV.