Arsenal Streak a Record
Arsenal extended its Premier League unbeaten streak to 43 games, a record for England’s top soccer division, with a 3-0 victory Wednesday night over Blackburn at Highbury.
The previous record of 42 games was set by Nottingham Forest in 1977-78 and 1978-79.
Standout striker Thierry Henry beat goalkeeper Brad Friedel in the 50th minute off a cross from Dennis Bergkamp, then set up goals by Gilberto Silva in the 58th and Jose Antonio Reyes in the 79th. Henry has scored 34 of the Gunners’ 95 goals during the streak.
Last season, Arsenal completed the first undefeated league season in 115 years at the top level of English soccer with a 26-0-12 record. The last club to go unbeaten was Preston North End in 1888-89.
Tennis
Lisa Raymond defeated fifth-seeded Nadia Petrova, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, to advance to the quarterfinals of the Pilot Pen tournament in New Haven, Conn.
Raymond, a wild card, used a backhand slice and drop shots in the last two sets to frustrate Petrova, who flung her racket toward the sideline when she was broken by Raymond to end the match.
In other matches, eighth-seeded Nathalie Dechy defeated Akiko Morigami, 6-0, 3-6, 6-2, and Daniela Hantuchova defeated Marissa Irvin, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3. Irvin took the top-seeded spot in the draw, replacing the injured Lindsay Davenport.
Pro Hockey
Officials from the NHL and the NHL Players’ Assn. met for the first of two scheduled days of talks in Ottawa.
The meeting centered on the finances of selected teams, a source familiar with the negotiations said.
Union officials, who rejected the NHL’s six proposals last week, are believed to be seeking information to prepare a proposal, which they may submit in negotiations next week.
NHL owners want a salary cap to better distribute revenues, believed to be $2 billion a season. The players have opposed a cap. The NHL has already rejected a union proposal that would include a luxury tax.
College Football
Miami freshman linebacker Willie Williams will be sidelined at least two months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right knee.
Williams injured the knee in a pileup near the end of practice Tuesday.
Williams has been under scrutiny since he signed with Miami in February and it was revealed that he had a criminal record.
College Basketball
North Carolina, which has reached the championship game of the Maui Invitational in all three of its appearances, will open this season’s tournament against Brigham Young.
The Tar Heels, who won the tournament in 1999 and lost in the championship game in 1989 and 1995, will play the Cougars in the first round Nov. 22 at the Lahaina Civic Center. The other first-round games are Stanford-Tennessee, Texas-Chaminade and Iowa-Louisville.
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Nick Welch, Air Force’s top scorer and rebounder last season, underwent arthroscopic surgery for swelling and soreness in his left knee.
College Baseball
Cal State Fullerton’s George Horton was named national coach of the year by the American Baseball Coaches Assn. for leading the Titans to their fourth national championship in June. He will receive the award Jan. 7.
