Women Reveal Peace Cup Roster

Markgraf One of 21

June 3, 2008

The eight-team tournament, held from June 15-21 in South Korea, features two groups of four teams each with the group winners advancing to the championship game after round-robin play.

The USA, which was drawn into Group B with Australia, Brazil and Italy, will play all of its first round matches at the 27,100-seat Suwon Sports Complex. Group A features South Korea, New Zealand and Argentina.

The U.S. women will open the tournament on June 15 against Australia. The winners of the two groups will play for the championship on Saturday, June 21, at the Suwon World Cup Stadium.

In naming the roster for the Peace Queen Cup, Sundhage also paired down the number of players competing for spots on the Olympic Team. The 21 players on the roster for South Korea, plus defender Ali Krieger, make up the 22 players from which the 18-player Olympic Team will be selected. Krieger has returned to Germany to finish her club season for FFC Frankfurt, for whom she recently helped win the UEFA Women’s Championship with a two-leg aggregate triumph over Swedish power Umea.

The U.S. women head into the 2008 Peace Queen Cup with a record of 13-0-1 in 2008. During those 14 matches, 12 different players have scored for the USA, led by Natasha Kai with 10 goals, and Abby Wambach and Lindsay Tarpley with nine apiece.

The USA won the inaugural Peace Queen Cup in 2006, defeating Canada in the championship game, 1-0, on a goal from Kristine Lilly.

2008 Peace Queen Cup Roster

GOALKEEPERS (3): Nicole Barnhart (Gilbertsville, Pa.), Briana Scurry (Dayton, Minn.), Hope Solo (Richland, Wash.);

DEFENDERS (6): Rachel Buehler (Del Mar, Calif.), Lori Chalupny (St. Louis, Mo.), Kate Markgraf (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), Heather Mitts (Cincinnati, Ohio), Christie Rampone (Point Pleasant, N.J.), Cat Whitehill (Birmingham, Ala.);

MIDFIELDERS (8): Shannon Boxx (Redondo Beach, Calif.), Tobin Heath (Basking Ridge, N.J.), Angela Hucles (Virginia Beach, Va.), Carli Lloyd (Delran, N.J.), Heather O’Reilly (East Brunswick, N.J.), Lindsay Tarpley (Kalamazoo, Mich.), Aly Wagner (San Jose, Calif.), Kacey White (Arlington, Texas);

FORWARDS (4): Lauren Cheney (Indianapolis, Ind.), Natasha Kai (Kahuku, Hawaii), Amy Rodriguez (Lake Forest, Calif.), Abby Wambach (Rochester, N.Y.).

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