University of North Carolina Athletics
Parlow Could Set U.S. Soccer Milestone Tuesday
July 2, 2001 | Women's Soccer
July 2, 2001
BLAINE, MINN. - The U.S. Women's National Team will finish its two-game Independence Day Series vs. Canada tomorrow, July 3, at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minn. in a match broadcast live on ESPN at 1 p.m. ET (Noon Local Time/10 a.m. PT). Rob Stone, a long-time side reporter for the U.S. women's broadcasts, will do his first game as the play-by-play announcer while former U.S. National Team goalkeeper Amy Griffin will do color commentary. After traveling from Canada on Monday, a day in which the USA did not train, the Americans conducted their lone practice in Minnesota on the immaculate stadium field at the NSC on Tuesday morning. Over 300 female youth players who were attending a soccer camp watched the practice and the U.S. players sent them home happy by signing autographs for 20 minutes after training. U.S. head coach April Heinrichs, UNC '87, her assistant coaches, team captain Julie Foudy and Minnesota native Jena Kluegel, UNC '02, conducted a 45-minute clinic for the youngsters following the U.S. training. As Brandi Chastain walked through the gauntlet of screaming girls on her way to the locker room, she pulled off her cleats and threw them into the crowd, making two lucky Minnesota youths the owners of some of the world's most famous, if not muddy, cleats.
CANADA ON A ROLL
After tying the USA 2-2 last Saturday, Canada is now unbeaten in its last
four games vs. the Americans, which includes two wins and two ties. Over
those four games, the rejuvenated Canadians have improved their all time
record vs. the USA from 1-22-1 to 3-22-3. Tomorrow's match will be the first
domestic game for the United States, and first nationally televised game, in
2001 after playing eight matches abroad.
MINNESOTA COMES OUT TO SEE U.S. WOMEN
Tomorrow's match at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minn. is a virtual
sell-out. More than 13,000 fans will be on hand to see the 1999 Women's
World Cup champions and Olympic silver medallists.
PARLOW GOES FOR 100TH CAP
Forward Cindy Parlow, UNC '99, will become the youngest player in U.S. history to earn
her 100th cap if she plays tomorrow vs. Canada. The 23-year-old Parlow
debuted for the USA on Jan. 14, 1996, vs. Russia in a match played in Brazil
and has since become the sixth-leading goal scorer in U.S. history with 45
career goals. Parlow was the USA's leading scorer in 2000 with 19 goals and
seven assists, including four hat tricks.
FOUDY GETS 200TH CAP
U.S. Women's National Team captain Julie Foudy earned her 200th cap for the
United States against Canada last Saturday. Foudy joins teammates Kristine
Lilly (226), UNC '93, and Mia Hamm (217), UNC '94, as the only international soccer players, men
or women, to have played 200 times for their country. Foudy debuted for the
national team at the age of 17 on July 29, 1988 vs. France.
REDDICK AND CRAMER LOSE MIA HAMM LOOK-ALIKE CONTEST
U.S. defender and Minnesota's own Jena Kluegel, UNC '02, was honored at halftime of the
Minnesota Thunder's A-League match on Sunday night after the USA's arrival in
town, but perhaps the more interesting halftime event was a Mia Hamm, UNC '94,
Look-Alike Contest. Defender Catherine Reddick, UNC '04, and midfielder Aleisha Cramer
accompanied Kluegel to the match and both were last minute entries into the
contest that included 10 young girls, all of which were about half the size
of the 5-foot-11 Cramer. One of young contestants had "Mini-Mia" on the back
of her USA replica #9 jersey. Cramer, a thin strawberry blond, got only a
smattering of applause from the crowd, which served as judges. Reddick,
closer to Hamm's height and hair color, got a few more claps, but both lost
to a young lady who did bear a mild similarity to the U.S. star. All three
U.S. players signed autographs for the Thunder fans for about 15 minutes.
STAT OF NOTE
The entire combined international appearances of the Canadian National Team
roster for the Independence Day Series fall 127 caps short of the combined
caps of Kristine Lilly, Mia Hamm and Julie Foudy.
