HIGH SCHOOLS

Kora Eckelman had 13 kills and five blocks to lead fifth-seeded Sanford (11-4) to a 3-0 win over No. 12 Windham (5-10) in a Class A South volleyball prelim Thursday night in Sanford.

Billi Bruno added 17 digs, Ellery Genest recorded 22 assists, and Alex Payeur finished with seven kills. Other standouts included Dominique Boles (eight digs) and Leah Soucy (12 digs).

The set scores were 25-19, 25-19 and 25-17.

SOCCER

ENGLAND: Cristiano Ronaldo has been removed from Manchester United’s squad for Saturday’s Premier League game against Chelsea and was told to train away from the team until after the match.

United Manager Erik ten Hag acted swiftly after Ronaldo – an unused substitute – headed to the changing room before the end of a 2-0 win Wednesday against Tottenham.

Ronaldo suggested the “heat of the moment” got to him when decided to walk off the field. United would not comment on reports that Ronaldo refused to enter as a late substitute.

• Steven Gerrard is out as manager of Premier League club Aston Villa after less than a year in charge.

The Birmingham club said that Gerrard “has left the club with immediate effect” after a 3-0 loss at Fulham. Villa has just two wins after 11 league games and is one spot above the relegation zone.

COLLEGES

FIELD HOCKEY: Casey Winslow scored two goals to lead Colby (6-8) to a 4-1 win over St. Joseph’s (10-7) in Standish.

Winslow tied it in the second quarter after Abbie Jacques gave the Monks an early lead, then got the final goal in the fourth. Jackie Hill and Kailtyn Smith also scored for Colby.

GOLF

PGA: Trey Mullinax and former U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland each shot a 6-under 65 to share the lead after the opening round of the CJ Cup in Ridgeland, South Carolina.

Rory McIlroy and 20-year-old Tom Kim, who played together in the same group with Rickie Fowler, were among those another shot back at 66.

McIlroy needs a win to reach No. 1 in the world for the ninth time in his career, and he was off to a good start with a bogey-free round. Kim won two weeks ago in Las Vegas to become the first player since Tiger Woods with two PGA Tour titles before turning 21.

LPGA: Atthaya Thitikul shot a 9-under 63 to set a tournament record and lead after the first round of the BMW Ladies Championship in Wonju, South Korea.

She was a stroke ahead of Minsol Kim and three up on a trio of players: A Lim Kim, Andrea Lee, and Yaeeun Hong.

EUROPEAN TOUR: Marcus Armitage shot a course-record 8-under 63 to take a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the Mallorca Open in Palma, Spain.

Dutchman Daan Huizing was in second place after a 7-under 64.

BASKETBALL

NBA: Tony Brown, who officiated more than 1,100 NBA games over almost two decades, has died after a battle with pancreatic cancer, his family announced. He was 55.

Brown was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer in April 2021 and recovered to the point where he was able to return to work in the NBA replay center last season. He entered hospice care in Atlanta in recent days, his family said.

• Cavaliers All-Star guard Darius Garland did not sustain any structural damage to his left eye when he got hit during Cleveland’s season-opening loss Wednesday in Toronto.
Garland was checked Thursday at the Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute. The Cavs said he’ll be re-evaluated over the next two days before his status is updated.

TENNIS

NAPOLI CUP: Second-seeded Matteo Berrettini comfortably beat Roberto Carballes Baena to reach the quarterfinals in Naples, Italy, and avenge last week’s loss in Florence.

Mackenzie McDonald of the United States upset third-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4, 6-4 in the second round, just hours after also eliminating Francesco Passaro in the delayed tournament.

Several players had to play two matches, as the start of tournament was postponed by two days because of multiple issues with the playing surface.