In Brief

TENNIS

Pavlyuchenkova claims first WTA championship

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia won her first WTA title, defeating Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia 1-6, 6-1, 6-0 on Sunday in the final of the Monterrey Open in Monterrey, Mexico.

The 28-year-old Pavlyuchenkova came back from a set down to overwhelm Hantuchova in the hard-court tournament. Pavlyuchenkova also defeated Hantuchova earlier this season in a hard-court match in Dubai.

Pavlyuchenkova reached the final after defeating Anastasia Sevastova of Latvia 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 earlier Sunday. Their match on Saturday was rained out.

Also: The WTA Tour reached a contract extension with Sony Ericsson that continues their relationship through the end of 2012 but drops the mobile phone company as a title sponsor of the women's tennis tour event.

UNLV ATHLETICS

Rebels fall to Columbia, miss four-game sweep

The UNLV baseball team fell short of a four-game sweep of Columbia, dropping an 8-6 decision to the Lions at Wilson Stadium.

Brandon Bayardi had three hits and drove in two runs for the Rebels (10-4), who lost for only the second time in their last 10 games.

Also: The UNLV softball team lost to 13th-ranked California 5-1 in the final game of the Eller Media Stadium Classic at Eller Media Stadium.

Ashli Holland drove in the lone run for the Rebels (12-8).

The UNLV men's tennis match against Marquette at Fertitta Tennis Complex was rained out. It will not be made up.

MISCELLANEOUS

Wranglers edge Reign to capture series finale

The Wranglers beat the Ontario Reign 4-3 in a shootout in Ontario, Calif., to move out of sole possession of last place in the ECHL's National Conference.

Las Vegas took two out of three games in the weekend series to improve to 26-25-7 for 59 points -- tying the Wranglers with the Reign and Utah Grizzlies.

Mick Lawrence, Chris Neiszner and Adam Hill scored in regulation for the Wranglers.

Also: Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps broke his own U.S. short-course record in the 200-yard butterfly at the Maryland Swim Championships at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis.

Phelps, who won both the 2004 and 2008 Olympic gold medal in the 200-meter butterfly, clocked a time of 1 minute, 39.65 seconds. His old U.S. record of 1:39.70 in the 200-yard event was set March 3, 2006, at the South Texas American Short Course Championships.

Motorcycle hall of famer Ricky Johnson completed a weekend sweep by winning the Unlimited 2-Wheel-Drive race in the Lucas Oil Off Road Series event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

For the second straight day, Las Vegas' Rob MacCachren finished second.

Rick Huseman won the final round of Unlimited 4-Wheel-Drive.

Justin Lamb captured the Super Pro title late Saturday in the opening round of the E.T. Bracket Series race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway's dragstrip. Other winners: John Irving (Pro), Rick Emanuel (Sportsman) and John Deck (Motorcycle).

Rain prompted Sunday's racing to be halted, and it will be rescheduled.

Lance Armstrong is likely to add an extra race to his Tour de France preparations following an average performance at the Vuelta de Murcia.

Armstrong finished seventh overall, 1 minute, 23 seconds behind winner Frantisek Rabon of Team HTC-Columbia.