Sounders top Galaxy in U.S. Open Cup

Soccer: Nate Jaqua scored two second-half goals to give the Seattle Sounders a 2-0 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy on Wednesday night in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals at Seattle.

The win sends Seattle, the defending Cup champion, into the semifinals against Chivas USA on Sept. 1. Chivas earned its spot Tuesday with a 3-1 victory against the Houston Dynamo.

Terry Boss earned the shutout for Seattle.

While the Sounders have struggled to a 4-8-3 record in MLS play this season, they now have won eight straight U.S. Open Cup games, including six last season when they won it all as an expansion team for the first cup of any kind in franchise history.

Vick in confrontation before shooting

NFL: The lead prosecutor in Virginia Beach, Va., said that Michael Vick was involved in a confrontation before a shooting following his birthday bash.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Harvey L. Bryant told the Associated Press in a telephone interview that Vick was not involved in the shooting and that he left the nightclub before it occurred.

Bryant would not go into detail about the confrontation, but said there was no evidence the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback was involved in “anything that would amount to aggressive or assaultive conduct.”

• Raiders say they tried to help Russell: The Oakland Raiders say they did all they could to help quarterback JaMarcus Russell before releasing him two months ago.

The Raiders issued a statement, two days after Russell was charged with possession of a controlled substance – codeine syrup – after being arrested at his home in Mobile, Ala.

The team says it tried to intervene in a “myriad” of issues surrounding Russell. The statement says the team is barred to go into further detail because of NFL rules.

• Ex-con gets life, no parole in Javon Walker case: An 11-time convicted felon was sentenced to life in prison without parole for robbing and beating former NFL player Javon Walker.

Deshawn Lamont Thomas’ attorney, Betsy Allen, promised to appeal after Clark County District Court Judge Douglas Smith sentenced the 42-year-old Thomas as a habitual criminal.

Semenya targeting European return

Track and Field: Caster Semenya will make her comeback at a European meet but is not fit enough to compete at the world junior championships in Canada, the 800-meter world champion’s coach said.

Semenya was cleared to return Tuesday by the International Association of Athletics Federations, ending an 11-month stalemate over her status following gender verification tests.

• Bolt may switch to other events after 2012 Games: Jamaican sprint star Usain Bolt may switch to other disciplines such as the long jump after the 2012 London Olympics.

Bolt said that he fears his fans will get bored with him if he wins the 100 and 200 meters at the 2012 Games, and he is eager to try new events.

Top seed Querrey upset by Brown

Tennis: Top seed Sam Querrey was upset in the second round of the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships , extending the No. 1 seed’s run of never winning the title in the 34 years of the tournament.

Querrey, ranked 19th entering the week and a three-time winner on the tour this season, was beaten by Dustin Brown 6-4, 6-3 in 47 minutes.

Kansas officials charged in scam

Miscellany: Two former University of Kansas athletics officials tied to a $1 million ticket scalping scandal at the school have been charged as part of a federal probe into the scheme, according to court documents unsealed.

Brandon Simmons, the university’s former assistant athletic director for sales and marketing, was charged with one count of misprision of a felony. Jason Jeffries, the assistant director of ticket operations, was charged last week with a criminal information alleging misprision of a felony.

• Prosecutors say woman in Pitino case had pattern: Federal prosecutors said that a Louisville woman charged with trying to extort money from University of Louisville men’s basketball coach Rick Pitino had made earlier, false claims of sexual harassment against a businessman.

Prosecutors said in a court document that Karen Cunagin Sypher filed a sexual harassment lawsuit in 2001, a case prosecutors say had similarities to the Pitino case.