VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Hope Solo stood in the net, leaned forward and grimaced. She had just dived to her right to make a save, and her injured leg was feeling the effects.
The goalkeeper for the U.S. women's soccer team was back on the practice field Thursday, a day before the game that will determine whether the Americans go to the Olympics. Whether she'll actually play was still in doubt.
"We still have quite some time to figure that out," Solo said after practice. "I have rehab scheduled right (now), another rehab session tonight, so we're just going to have to wait and see."
The U.S. will play Costa Rica today to determine one of the two berths from the CONCACAF region for the London Olympics. Canada will play Mexico for the other berth.
Backup Nicole Barnhart will start if Solo can't go.
Solo pulled her right quadriceps during a workout Sunday and aggravated it during Tuesday's win against Mexico.
Brubaker wins with new partner: Rockne Brubaker is back at the top of the U.S. pairs world, winning the short program with new partner Mary Beth Marley in San Jose, Calif.
Marley and Brubaker's delightful "Singing in the Rain" program earned a score of 65.80, more than four points ahead of last year's runners-up, Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig. Caydee Denney and John Coughlin, winners of the past two titles at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships with previous partners, were third. The free skate is Saturday.
Brubaker and former partner Keauna McLaughlin won the U.S. title in 2008 and 2009. But they split after failing to make the Vancouver Olympics in 2010, one last disappointment in a dismal season. He began skating with Marley last year, and they're already looking like seasoned veterans.
Their triple twist was huge, big enough to match the world's top teams. Their side-by-side triple toe loops looked effortless and they had such great speed they looked as if they were sprinting.
It was a performance that would have been tough to beat, and no one came close.
Evgeni Plushenko got upstaged by his own training partner. Artur Gachinski snatched the lead from the 2006 Olympic champion at the European championships in Sheffield, England, after Plushenko opted not to do a quadruple jump in the short program.
Gachinski completed a quad and finished with 84.80 points, 0.09 points ahead of Plushenko. Tomas Verner of the Czech Republic, the 2008 European champion, was third (81.14 points), just ahead of emerging star Javier Fernandez of Spain (80.11).
"I think this was my best ever skate. I did all the jumps, the spins and the footwork as I had planned," said Gachinski. In pairs competition, overnight leaders Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov's performance to the "Black Swan" soundtrack gave them the gold and their first major title.
Ukrainian coach indicted on sex charges: A Ukrainian hockey coach has been indicted on charges he fondled a teen attending clinics in Philadelphia.
Ivan Pravilov, a mentor to several NHL and college players, has been in custody since his arrest last week.
Federal authorities will seek detention at a hearing today. They say he threatened a teenage witness and has no local ties.
A recent book by former player Maxim Starchenko describes the coach as physically, mentally and sexually abusive.
Authorities say Pravilov, 48, took a 14-year-old Ukrainian boy to his Philadelphia apartment this month for sexual purposes. The boy was staying with a family in Wilmington, Del.
Pravilov's hockey school takes young players to camps and tournaments throughout the U.S.
Schlichter wants counseling: A former Ohio State and NFL quarterback facing 10 years in prison on fraud charges is requesting drug abuse counseling while behind bars.
Art Schlichter, 52, is scheduled for sentencing next month in Columbus, Ohio, in a fraud case stemming from a million-dollar ticket-selling scheme. An attorney for Schlichter asked a federal judge to recommend his client for a 500-hour federal prisons drug abuse program.
Schlichter of suburban Columbus, Ohio, is also asking for a recommendation that he be sent to a prison close to the city.
Schlichter, due for sentencing Feb. 7, was jailed last week after authorities said he violated the conditions of his bond by testing positive for cocaine use while free on house arrest.
