ERIE, Pa. -- Julia Potter won the U.S. Womens Mid-Amateur for the second time in four years Thursday, beating Shannon Johnson 2 and 1 at The Kahkwa Club.Potter, a 28-year-old reinstated amateur from Indianapolis, also won the 2013 event for players 25 and older and finished second in 2014.When you get to the sixth day of championship play -- the eighth day, counting practice rounds -- you are starting to get tired, Potter said. Thats when you fall back on that short game. I was lucky enough to be able to do that.The only female left-handed champion in USGA history, Potter is the fifth multiple champion in the event, joining Sarah LeBrun Ingram (1991, 1993, 1994), Ellen Port (1995, 1996, 2000, 2011), Meghan Stasi (2006, 2007, 2010, 2012) and Carol Semple Thompson (1990, 1997).Potter played at the University of Missouri and is the director of marketing for the Indiana Golf Office. The 33-year-old Johnson, from Norton, Massachusetts, played at New Mexico and Indiana and works as a sales representative for Ping golf equipment.Johnson won four consecutive holes -- all with pars -- to square it with three holes to play on the Donald Ross-designed course. On the par-3 15th, Potter made a double bogey after hitting into a bunker and Johnson two-putted for par.I said to myself, `Now is the time, Johnson said. I love the back nine, and I knew coming in I could definitely win some holes. I felt pretty good momentum at that point.Potter won the par-4 16th with a 10-foot birdie putt. The match ended on the par-4 17th when Johnson missed a 3-foot par putt and Potter made a 2 1/2-footer for par.I tried to be confident over every putt, Johnson said. Donald Ross got me in the end.Potter and Johnson were co-medalists in stroke-play qualifying and the first two top seeds to meet in the final in the history of the event. Potter also won as the medalist in 2013.I really feel like I have run the gauntlet, said Potter. Ive had two matches go into extra holes. Against Audrey (Akins), I thought for sure I was done on 17. Its nice because next year when Im in match play, these are the instances that I can pull from and say, `Hey, you are not out, you are not down. I think a lot of people in that crowd would have thought that Shannon had the momentum going into 16 and the next thing you know I win 16 and 17 and the championship.Potter is 18-2 in match play in four appearances in the events. Her boyfriend, Kiel Bobb, has taken over caddie duties from Potters father, Phil.Kiel is that calm in the storm for me, Potter said. Even when I missed putts on 13, 14, 15, he said, `You put a great stroke on it. It just didnt happen. Dont get down on yourself. When you have someone like that out there supporting you and believing in you, you start believing that you can really do it, too.Johnson and Potter are fully exempt into the 2017 U.S. Womens Amateur at San Diego Country Club. Potter received a 10-year U.S. Womens Mid-Amateur exemption, and Johnson got a three-year exemption. Jason Verrett Super Bowl Jersey . Miikka Kiprusoff had just announced his retirement after a decade-long run in Calgary and it would be up to Berra and Ramo to fill the void. Ronnie Lott Super Bowl Jersey . Kiriasis and brakeman Franziska Fritz finished two runs in one minute 55.41 seconds -- a mere 0.01 seconds ahead of Meyers and Lolo Jones, who likely bolstered her Olympic hopes by helping give USA-1 a huge push in the second heat. http://www.49ersofficialfanshop.com/nick-mullens-jersey-sales.html . With Parker having a quiet game for once, Nicolas Batum and Boris Diaw provided the scoring as France won its first major basketball title by beating Lithuania 80-66 on Sunday. It was a victory that ended a decade of frustration for Parker and a talented French generation, which lost the final against Spain two years ago and took bronze in 2005. Marquise Goodwin Super Bowl Jersey . After a replay, the winner will meet Sunderland in the quarterfinals. Sagbo did well to control Sone Alukos right cross and fire past Brighton goalkeeper Peter Brezovan. Aluko was making his first start in four months after recovering from an Achilles injury. Richie James Super Bowl Jersey . The Oilers come in having lost five in a row (0-4-1) and 16 of their last 20 games, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Penguins regained their Stanley Cup-winning captain, and he made an immediate impact. Next up: The return of their Stanley Cup-winning goalie.Perhaps as early as Thursday night, when the Penguins -- already 4-0-1 at PPG Paints Arena this season, and 4-2-1 overall -- take on the New York Islanders.Matt Murray, who missed the first seven Penguins games as he healed from a broken right hand sustained during the World Cup, is practicing again and served as Marc-Andre Fleurys backup for the first time this season Tuesday night.Sidney Crosby, who missed the first six games with a concussion, returned Tuesday to score the Penguins first goal of a comeback in which they flipped a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers.Coach Mike Sullivan isnt saying whether Murray will be ready to go against the Islanders, but Fleury started the first seven games, and no doubt the Penguins want to give him a night off soon.If only to see how Murray has recovered from his injury -- and whether he can sustain his level of play during the playoffs, when he became the most inexperienced goalie to win the Stanley Cup since Ken Dryden of Montreal in 1971.I think hes getting close, Sullivan said following practice Wednesday. Having the ability to back up and seeing the game up close (Tuesday) with the speed (of the game), even though hes on the bench, will help with his timing and inch (him) that much closer to being ready to play.The Islanders will play the second half of a back-to-back after losing 3-2 to the unbeaten-in-regulation Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night. They lost three of four to the Penguins last season.Dennis Seidenberg scored the tying goal for the Islanders in the third period -- one of their 15 shots in the period -- but Shea Webers power-play goal with 2:57 remaining won it for Montreal.The first half of the game we didnt manage the puck properly, Isles coach Jack Capuano said. I think if you watch that third period, we had plenty of opportunities. Came down to their power play.The Islanders (3-4) will go from playing a Canadiens team thats off to a 6-0-1 start to one that won the Stanley Cup last season.Asked if the Islanders learned anythingg from playing the Canadiens, center John Tavares said, I think just to realize whats going to bring us success, especially against good hockey teams and teams (that) play a similar style of game to us.dddddddddddd They play quick and they transition off the ice.The Islanders have faced Murray only once -- a 5-0 loss on April 2 that was Murrays first shutout in the NHL.Whenever he returns, Murray likely will wear a cast on his broken thumb for the time being.The bone doesnt fully heal for a long time, but its healed enough where I can do everything normally and not worry about it. Ill wear the cast while I play, Murray said.He couldnt have played much better last spring when, after appearing in only 12 regular-season games (going 9-2-1 with a 2.00 goals-against average), he carried the Penguins to the Cup with the steady glove hand of a much more experienced goalie. He went 15-6 with a .923 save percentage and a 2.08 GAA in the postseason.Fleury is his usual reliable self so far this season, with a 4-2-1 record and a .904 save percentage. But the Penguins likely signaled their course for the future last week when they signed Murray to a three-year, $11.25 million contract that begins next season -- even though Fleury is only in the second year of a four-year deal.The Penguins can only hope Murray is as impactful from the start -- even if he doesnt return Thursday -- as Crosby was. After a get-up-to-speed first period, Crosby looked himself after that, and Sullivan thinks hes good to go despite his prior concussion history.Theres no reason (not to think that), Sullivan said. I think Sids going to be fine.Sullivan made one adjustment during the game, breaking up the HBK line of Carl Hagelin, Nick Bonino and Phil Kessel by shifting Kessel to Evgeni Malkins line and installing Rust as the right wing on the Bonino line. Its likely that will carry over to Thursday.He (Rust) brings speed, he brings energy, he creates a lot of turnovers with his speed, Sullivan said of Rust, who scored both goals in the Game 7 Eastern Conference-clinching 2-1 win over Tampa Bay. ' ' '
