Women sport news

Bristol Academy manager Mark Sampson felt his side did not deserve to lose to Arsenal on Thursday and is excited for their first FA WSL home game against Liverpool, who he feels will be out for revenge. Report by David Brenchley. Photo - The FA via Getty Images.

Cheshire got their season up and running with a hard-fought victory over Staffordshire in this friendly. Cheshire's reply was not without alarms, but they eventually got home with 14 overs in hand.

South African netball has taken a step towards professionalism this week, with the announcement of a new competition - the Netball Grand Series (NGS).

It’s only been a few weeks since Glasgow Wildcats travelled to Leeds Carnegie for their first meeting in the 2011 FIAT Netball Superleague

The Doncaster Rovers Belles will play Chelsea at the Keepmoat Stadium in their first home game of the season in the brand new FA Women's Super League on Easter Sunday at 2.00pm. Photo - The FA via Getty Images.

The University of Alabama women’s gymnastics team won the 2011 Division I Gymnastics Championship with a score of 197.650. By Calvin Morris

Arsenal keep up the pressure on pace setters Birmigham with another narrow 1-0 victory over Bristol Academy while Chelsea and Lincoln get their first point on the board with a 1-1 draw. Report by David Brenchley. Photo - The FA via Getty Images.

Basking in the sun, fun and atmosphere of a South American festival, tandems from Brazil and the United States grinded out semifinal matches victories Thursday to advance to Friday morning’s internationally-televised women’s gold medal match. photo FIVB

Oxsana Savchenko, the world's fastest female Paralympic swimmer has laid down the gauntlet to her competitors ahead of July's International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Swimming European Championships.

The International Triathlon Union (ITU) is pleased to announce the host cities for the 2012 and 2013 ITU Duathlon and Long Distance Triathlon World Championships.

In the women's final, New Zealand's Jo Edwards secured her third straight World Cup crown after winning a thrilling final against Guernsey's Alison Merrien.

German “Fräuleinwunder” in the Porsche Arena. Photo courtesy of Porsche.

Birmingham City Ladies continued their excellent early season form to defeat Liverpool while Everton drew with Doncaster Rovers Belles. Report by David Brenchley. Photo - The FA via Getty Images.

Desiree Davila has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after she came within two seconds of winning the 115th Boston Marathon on Monday.

Justine Dupont (Lacanau, FRA), 19, has won the ASP 1-Star Breti Girls Pro Junior ahead of Maud Lecar (Saint Martin, FRA), Garazi Sanchez (Sopelana, EUK) and Leticia Canales (Sopelana, EUK) today, in excellent and consistent four-to-five foot (1.2 to 1.5 meter) waves. Aquashot/aspeurope.com

Meghan Duggan (Danvers, Mass.) and Jen Schoullis (Erie, Pa.) each scored twice in leading the U.S. Women's National Team to a 9-1 victory over Sweden at the 2011 International Ice Hockey Federation World Women's Championship here tonight at Deutweg Rink.

Top seed Rachael Grinham triumphed in the final of the Women's Texas Open to win the WISPA World Tour Silver 30 squash event at Downtown YMCA in Dallas for the second time since 2004. photo WISPA

Hyères, France is all set to host the Semaine Olympique Française, the fourth regatta on the ISAF Sailing World Cup series. http://sof.ffvoile.net

Two weekends of close racing at the Warsash Spring Championships have stood some of Britain's aspiring young keelboat racing talents in good stead as they prepare for their next test at the RORC Easter Challenge this weekend (22-24 April). photo Paul Wyeth/RYA

Buckinghamshire’s Rachel Drummond scored a two-shot win in the Roehampton Gold Cup - with the help of a borrowed putter.

Arsenal Ladies play their first home game in the FA WSL against Bristol Academy tonight, while Lincoln travel to Chelsea. Report by David Brenchley. Photo - The FA via Getty Images.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has published the qualifying standards for the Athletics competitions at the London 2012 Paralympic Games which will get underway in less than 500 days time.

Second event on this year’s ASP European Women’s Junior Series, the ASP 1-Star Breti’ Girls Pro Junior kicked-off today in consistent two-to-three foot (one meter) waves at La Sauzaie, current European rankings’ No. 3 Maud Lecar (Saint Martin, FRA) dominating proceedings. photo Aquashot/aspeurope.com

With seven weeks until the LPGA State Farm Classic, the 25 highest ranked players on the LPGA Money List have committed to playing in this year's tournament. The best golfers on tour will compete for the title, including Defending Champion, #9 ranked Cristie Kerr, at Panther Creek Country Club in Springfield, June 9-12.

The IAAF is deeply saddened by the news that Grete Waitz, a legendary pioneer in women's Marathon running, passed away today after fighting a long battle with cancer.

Andrea Petkovic pulls the match out of the fire. Photo courtesy of Porsche