Wilkinson-Soldati Team Loses at Diving Trials

Laura Wilkinson will have to be content with trying to defend her individual diving gold medal at the Athens Olympics.

Wilkinson and Kimiko Soldati were beaten by Sara Hildebrand and Cassandra Cardinell in the synchronized 10-meter platform at the U.S. diving trials Thursday night at St. Peters, Mo.

The Wilkinson-Soldati team, formed only six months ago, earned the United States its Olympic berth with a fourth-place showing at the World Cup. But it’s Hildebrand and Cardinell who will be representing the country in Athens.

On the men’s side, Mark Ruiz clinched a return trip to the Olympics, teaming with Kyle Prandi to win the synchronized platform with a dominating 703.98 points.

Hildebrand and Cardinell came to the finals with a 22.95-point lead and increased the margin over their final five attempts, finishing with 634.29.

Tennis

Top-seeded Andy Roddick held off Mario Ancic, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-4, and reached the quarterfinals of the Queen’s Club tournament at London.

In other matches, former Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt beat Jonathan Marray, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (8); fifth-seeded Sebastien Grosjean beat Ian Flanagan in 50 minutes, 6-2, 6-0; and Karol Beck outlasted Ivo Karlovic, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3), 6-3.

Rainer Schuettler moved into the quarterfinals of the Gerry Weber Open at Halle, Germany, with a 7-6 (5), 6-4 victory over Joachim Johansson.... Third-seeded Maria Sharapova reached the quarterfinals of the grass-court DFS Classic by beating Australian qualifier Samantha Stosur, 6-4, 6-3, at Birmingham, England.

Pro Football

Quarterback Tim Couch is down to his final days with the Cleveland Browns, who made him the NFL’s top draft pick five years ago.

Coach Butch Davis said the team started the process of releasing Couch, but the move won’t be official until a grievance by Couch against the team is settled.

Defensive back Ty Law says he wants to retire with the New England Patriots, an about-face that comes after he declared he wanted to leave and called his coach a liar. Law met with Coach Bill Belichick and emerged to say all was well between him and the team.

Law had battled with the team over an extension of his contract, which has $16.9 million left over two years.

A neck specialist has recommended that Denver Bronco linebacker John Mobley sit out the 2004 season. Mobley has been out since bruising his spinal cord Oct. 26.... Cleveland Brown rookie defensive back Sean Jones probably will sit out the season after tearing a ligament in his left knee.... The Atlanta Falcons put Keion Carpenter on injured reserve, meaning the backup free safety will sit out the entire season. Carpenter tore an anterior cruciate ligament during a workout last week.

Miscellany

Former USC receiver Sandy Fletcher pleaded no contest in Los Angeles County Superior Court to one misdemeanor count of a driver allowing a loaded weapon in his car, a spokesman for the Los Angeles city attorney’s office said.

Fletcher, 23, was sentenced to 24 months of summary probation and 45 days of community service. He also was fined $100, and his firearm will be destroyed.

Fletcher was arrested in Los Angeles in March and was originally charged with three misdemeanor counts relating to possession of a loaded firearm in his car. He is due to appear in court July 8 to show proof of enrollment in a community service program.

Defender Tony Sanneh will sit out the United States’ soccer World Cup qualifying opener against Grenada this weekend because of a sprained right ankle.... Teenage soccer star Freddy Adu was one of 23 players selected to the U.S. under-20 national team that will play Brazil on Wednesday at Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Also selected was Galaxy forward Guillermo Gonzalez.... Chivas of Guadalajara tied UNAM Pumas, 1-1, in the first leg of the Mexican league Clausura championship. Jose Luis Lopez scored in the 76th minute for Pumas, but a penalty kick by Ramon Morales in the 86th minuted tied the score. The second leg is Sunday.

Ted Musgrave earned his first pole this season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck series, running a qualifying lap of 180.971 mph at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.... Dario Franchitti earned his first front-row start in the IndyCar series with a lap at 209.609 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Center Ryan Hollins of UCLA is one of 24 players selected to try out for the USA Basketball World Championship for Young Men Qualifying Team. Final cuts will be made at the USA National team trials and training camp July 16-23.

Softball standout Jessica van der Linden of Florida State and tennis standout Amber Liu of Stanford have been named the most outstanding athletes in their sports by the Collegiate Women Sports Awards. Each will receive the Honda Award and is eligible for the Honda-Broderick Cup.