By Scott French, Senior Editor 'MVP' DONE. Philadelphia forward/midfielder Kelly Smith, our pick as MVP through eight weeks of the WUSA season, is finished for 2002. A magnetic-resonance imaging test on Monday confirmed the English star tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her her right knee during the Charge's 0-0 draw Saturday with visiting San Jose. Smith's doctors said her ACL tore away from her femur and that she will undergo surgery within three weeks. Rehabilitation is expected to take 6-12 months. The MRI also found a possible torn lateral meniscus. Smith, who fell while completing a spinning pass to Zhao Lihong in the 72nd minute of the game, was limited to 13 games last season because of injuries. She's been virtually unstoppable this spring as Philadelphia has started the season with a 5-1-1 record. She's tied for second in scoring in the WUSA (with Boston's Maren Meinert) with 11 points, one behind New York's Tiffeny Milbrett. Smith's totals this year — four goals and three assists — match her season totals from Year 1. Smith is the second attacker Philadelphia has lost to a torn ACL this season. Forward Rakel Karvelsson, an Atlanta-area product who plays for the Icelandic national team, tore her ACL late in the Charge's preseason buildup. The WUSA is allowing the Charge to carry an additional ''reserve'' player in place of Karvelsson and is likely to award another ''reserve'' to take Smith's place. QUICK LEARNER: It took Birgit Prinz scant minutes to acclimate to the world's best women's soccer league. The German forward, making her WUSA debut after leading FFC Frankfurt to the first European women's club title, was a dominant force in Carolina's 4-1 romp over New York on Saturday in Cary, N.C. Prinz scored one goal, hit two posts and created havoc in the Power defense all afternoon as the Courage improved to 4-1-2 and moved within two points of league-leading Philadelphia. ''Birgit is a dangerous player,'' Carolina coach Marcia McDermott said. ''Every time the ball is at her foot, you have to deal with her. She makes great runs off the ball. And then her finishing; obviously, she could have had even more goals tonight.'' Prinz's tally, in the 62nd minute, came two minutes after Danielle Slaton's second goal in as many games as Carolina turned a tight contest into a rout. SAVIOR: Siri Mullinix's sensational showing Saturday in Foxboro gained a point for Washington, which held dominant Boston to a 0-0 tie in an MLS/WUSA doubleheader that drew 21,539 to CMGI Field. Mullinix made a WUSA-record 13 saves — and watched Kristine Lilly send a penalty kick over the crossbar — to pick up her second career shutout. The Breakers and Freedom were held without a goal for the second successive week. BEST GOAL: Homare Sawa scored a 74th-minute stunner to finish off Atlanta's 2-0 win at San Diego, the Beat's third successive victory. It was a scorching, right-footed volley from 7 yards after solid work by Kylie Bivens and Liping Wang in midfield and on the right flank. Bivens won the ball in midfield, fed Wang and raced down the wing for a long return from Wang. Bivens' cross found Sawa at the far post. WUSA SUMMARIES WEEK 8: Deja vu with 0-0 ties June 1 at Foxboro, Mass. BOSTON (2-3-3, 9 pts.) 0 WASHINGTON (2-4-2, 8 pts.) 0. Att.: 21,539 June 1 at San Diego SAN DIEGO (2-4-2, 8 pts.) 0 ATLANTA (4-3-1, 13 pts.) 2. Goals: Hooper (Sawa, Serlenga) 21, Sawa (Bivens, Wang) 74. Att.: 5,815. June 1 at Villanova, Pa. PHILADELPHIA (5-1-1, 16 pts.) 0 SAN JOSE (3-3-2, 11 pts.) 0. Att.: 5,903. June 1 at Cary, N.C. CAROLINA (4-1-2, 14 pts.) 4 NEW YORK (2-5-1, 7 pts.) 1. Goals: Lehn (Fotopoulos) 44, Slaton 60, Prinz (Lehn) 62, Fotopoulos (Riise) 73; Milbrett (Pearman) 66. Att.: 5,156.