nd now Stage 2 is the next to be conquered. Most of the females

LOS ANGELES -- Maya Moore scored 31 points and Minnesotas defense held Nneka Ogwumike and Candace Parker in check to help the Lynx beat the Los Angeles Sparks 85-79 on Sunday night and force a decisive fifth game in the WNBA Finals.Lindsay Whalen added 13 points, Seimone Augustus had 12 and Sylvia Fowles had 10 points and 13 rebounds in tying the series 2-2 and sending it back to Minneapolis, where the Lynx will try to win their record-tying fourth championship on Thursday.Great series, Game 5 in Minneapolis, were excited, Moore said.Ogwumike, the league MVP, scored 11 points on 5 of 10 shooting, while two-time MVP Parker shot 4 of 14 for 14 points for the Sparks, who were trying to close out their first title since 2002 in front of their fans at Staples Center.Chelsea Gray led the Sparks with 20 points off the bench. She was 6 of 11 and made all four of her free throws.The Sparks outscored the Lynx 10-4 to open the fourth, tying it at 69-all on Parkers driving bank shot as she fell out of bounds. Los Angeles got most of its points at the free throw line, going 6 of 9 in that span.Whalen scored two straight baskets to put the Lynx back in front 73-69 on turnovers by Ogwumike and Kristi Toliver, who finished with 15 points.Trailing 77-72, Gray hit her fourth 3-pointer to draw the Sparks within two.The teams traded baskets and Minnesota led 79-77. Parker was called for a shooting foul on Rebekkah Brunson, who made both free throws for an 81-77 lead. Before Parker fouled Brunson, it appeared that Minnesota hadnt gotten the ball across halfcourt in time to avoid an 8-second violation. Replays looked to show that the ball was still in the backcourt when the shot clock was at 16.Moore stole an inbounds pass and Ogwumike fouled her with 4 seconds left. Moore made both to close out the win.We appreciate each other too much to go down without playing like the Lynx, Moore said. Thats defense, playing together, and a lot of energy.The Lynx scored six in a row to take their largest lead, 52-42, early in the third. The quarter ended in a 3-point contest. The Sparks made three, including two by Gray, and Moore hit two 3s for the Lynx, who led 65-59 going into the fourth. Moore scored 10 points in the third.Minnesota dominated the Sparks 22-4 in fastbreak points.FOUL TROUBLEBrunson, who guarded Parker much of the time, finished with six points and five fouls. Fowles had four fouls.KOBE & THE GIRLSA bearded Kobe Bryant returned to the scene of some of his greatest career moments, watching courtside with wife Vanessa and their two daughters. Also on hand was Sparks co-owner Magic Johnson, who returned from Chicago where the Dodgers were playing the Cubs in the National League Championship Series at the same time. Lakers guard Lou Williams, Cedric the Entertainer and Marsai Martin of black-ish attended.UP NEXTGame 5 is Thursday in Minnesota.Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Free Shipping . LOUIS -- Theres no telling how these wacky World Series games will end. Nike NFL Jerseys Outlet . According to a report from the Winnipeg Free Press, the Bombers will name Acting GM Kyle Walters to the post full time. https://www.chinajerseysnfl.us/ .1 million pounds ($61.2 million) on Saturday, giving the beleaguered English Premier League champions a major lift. Nike NFL Jerseys China . Just as Montreal was settling into the first full working week of a new year, the Impact announced the appointment of their new head coach. Fake Nike NFL Jerseys . 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.No one climbed Mt. Midoriyama for $1 million in Season 8 of American Ninja Warrior, which was expected but disappointing nonetheless. Veteran Drew Drechsel and wunderkind Daniel Gil were the only two competitors to survive the brutal test of Stage 2 in the season finale, which aired Monday. Their Stage 3 quests, however, came up short, and both of them ended up in the water.Geoff Britten and Isaac Caldiero both conquered the four-stage course last season, and Caldiero became the first million-dollar winner in the shows history.?This season was as compelling as it was historic. There were fresh faces and new challenges, but above all else, ANW Season 8 will be known for its ground-breaking accomplishments by women.While Jessie Graffs star shined brightest, all of the ANW women proved their athletic chops this season. Meagan Martin hit a city-qualifying buzzer for the third consecutive season, two women ran in the Los Angeles city finals, four women ran in the Philadelphia city finals, and three women punched their own tickets to Vegas. To top it off, a record 18 women competed in the national finals.I think this season was a game-changer for female competitors, Erica Cook said. Girls have been breaking through in the past few years but falling just short of competing on par with the men.When Kacy Catanzaro became the first woman to finish a qualifying course in Season 6, she opened the door for other firsts and helped the ninja community understand that female competitors should be taken seriously. Her triumph was soon followed by Martin and Michelle Warnky doing the same.Catanzaro went on to become the first woman to complete a city finals course. (Shes still the only one to do so.) Martin bested the Jumping Spider in Vegas, but for a few years, Stage 1 was left unconquered by a woman.That changed with Jessie Graff. The 5-foot-8 powerhouse athlete blazed through Stage 1, becoming the first woman to finish the course and placing fifth overall. No one was happier for her than Warnky, her competitor and friend.I loved seeing her run on Stage 2! I knew she had worked so hard for it, Warnky said.Last year, both were unable to beat what Warnky considered to be the easiest Stage 1 in the shows history. But this year, Graff hit the buzzer on what was arguably thhe hardest Stage 1 in the shows history.dddddddddddd A record-low of 17 competitors finished the course to advance to Stage 2. Her completion, and this season as a whole, prove that women of ANW are capable of challenging the men.I think [this season] has given girls and women out there more confidence and that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible, said Rachael Goldstein, one of the four women to reach the Philadelphia city finals. Women can compete alongside some of the strongest men, and rank near the top.I know that this season has given me more confidence anyways. Before this season, I was unsure of myself and my ability to compete alongside the best ninjas in the country.For many of the women competing in Vegas, Graffs completing Stage 1 was just the beginning. Shes inspired them to chase their own dreams.This is what some of them had to say about Graff:She is truly an incredible athlete and inspiration for all the ninja ladies to get there, too. -- Tiana WebberleyShe isnt just an inspiration to kids and adults training to reach fitness goals, but to the men and women who compete on the show as well. -- Rachael GoldsteinShe has finally let the females see past the mental block weve all had about Stage 1, and now Stage 2 is the next to be conquered. Most of the females who make it to the Vegas rounds tend to all be thinking, I just want to beat Stage 1! and I personally love that the standard has risen and that it will forever change the mentality of the female competitors, plus the viewers at home. -- Cassie CraigJessie is leading the way for what many women are capable of accomplishing in Ninja Warrior. -- Kirsti PrattIn my opinion, she showed everyone that gender doesnt necessarily confine you. If you work hard enough, anything is possible. -- Erica CookWe always knew women have been fully capable of beating Stage 1, but now that Jessie has finally proved that, its set this awesome and inspiring bar for all other female ninjas. -- Allyssa BeirdIt was an amazing season of American Ninja Warrior. Hopefully next year, there will be even more women making history. Perhaps one of them will even beat Stage 2. ' ' '