Jason E. Miczek, Associated Press Dave Wolak, of Warrior Run, Pa., holds his winning trophy at Cricket Arena after winning the Bassmaster American Tournament today on Lake Wylie near Charlotte, N.C.

Dave Wolak, 29, punctuated a great July with another strong performance yesterday to capture the Bassmaster American on Lake Wylie in Charlotte, N.C.

Wolak, from Warrior Run, Pa., caught five bass weighing 10 pounds, 8 ounces, for a total of 25-14 in the two-day final. Kevin VanDam was his closest competitor in the six-angler field, with a 22-15 total.

The victory earned Wolak $250,000 and is his first in 36 career BASS events since he began competing in 2002. It came 12 days after the birth of his first child, son Jacob David Wolak.

"It's going to change my whole life," he said.

Anglers fished a six-hole course in the final. Wolak, the 2005 BASS Rookie of the Year, entered the final day with nearly a 5-pound lead over Gerald Swindle. He had most of his success on the lower part of the 13-acre lake, sight fishing in waters that reached up to 95 degrees on a clear, humid day.

Wolak's skills as a finesse fisherman fit Lake Wylie, which had numerous skinny, aggressive bass, VanDam said.

VanDam of Kalamazoo Mich., vaulted to the top of the BASS all-time earnings list at $2.09 million. He yielded the heaviest catch of the day, 13-13, to place second in the event.

Hockey

Center Paul Gaustad avoided salary arbitration with the Buffalo Sabres, signing a two-year, $1.425 million contract. Gaustad, who will make $675,000 next season, received a slight raise over the $450,000 contract he made as an NHL rookie last season..

The Anaheim Ducks signed defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski to a one-year contract.

Soccer

Abby Wambach and Natasha Kai scored goals to lead the United States to a 2-0 victory against Canada in an exhibition game in Cary, N.C., that gave the Americans a sweep of three matches in July.

Wambach scored her 57th career goal on a penalty kick late in the first half.

Pro basketball

Barbara Farris and Shameka Christon scored 20 points apiece to help the host New York Liberty beat the Minnesota Lynx, 78-69, Sunday for its season-high third consecutive victory.

Asjha Jones matched her career high with 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the host Connecticut Sun to a 72-65 victory against the San Antonio Silver Stars.

Astou Nidaye-Diatta made a 10-footer in the lane with 4.1 seconds left to lift the visiting Houston Comets to an 82-80 victory against the Phoenix Mercury.

Tamika Catchings had 20 points and nine rebounds to lead the visiting Indiana Fever past the Chicago Sky, 69-64.

Cycling

T-Mobile will replace manager Olaf Ludwig with American Bob Stapleton in November, shaking up its team in light of cycling's doping scandals, including Tour de France winner Floyd Landis' positive test for a testosterone imbalance.

T-Mobile said it lacked faith in the present management to deal with the scandals rocking the sport. Longtime star Jan Ullrich, the 1997 Tour de France winner, was recently fired after being linked to performance-enhancing drugs.

Tennis

Tommy Haas won his third title of the year and second Los Angeles championship in three years with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory over Dmitry Tursunov in the Countrywide Classic.

Kim Clijsters won her fourth Bank of the West Classic title in six years, effortlessly beating Patty Schnyder, 6-4, 6-2, in Stanford, Calif., to stay unbeaten in this event since '02.

Anna Smashnova of Israel became the first player to defend her Budapest Grand Prix title in Hungary, defeating Lourdes Dominguez Lino of Spain, 6-1, 6-3. The eighth-seeded Smashnova, ranked No. 63, took a 3-0 lead before Dominguez Lino won her only game in the first set.

Agustin Calleri claimed his second title by beating Juan Ignacio Chela, 7-6 (9), 6-2, 6-3, in an all-Argentine final at the Generali Open in Kitzbuehel, Austria.

Wild Things

Mike Bok's grand slam lifted visiting Washington to a 7-1 win against the Windy City Thunderbolts in the Frontier League.