The United States U-18 girls’ national team used a world-class performance by goalkeeper Hope Solo and a superb individual effort by defender Catherine Reddick to defeat Mexico 1-0 and win the first Pan Am Women’s Soccer Tournament at the Winnipeg Soccer Complex. The win avenged the 1-1 draw the teams played to on July 25, the only blemish on the Americans’ near-perfect Pan Am performance. Solo did not play in the 1-1 draw, but she was inserted into the line-up today by U.S. coach Jay Hoffman. It proved to be a brilliant decision. Solo made 11 saves and recorded her third shutout in three starts at the Pan Am Games. In six international starts in 1999, Solo has not given up a goal. “I thought Hope Solo played brilliant tonight,” Hoffman said. “I feel really happy for all the ladies because I thought we played good soccer, I thought they improved with every game.” Reddick added her third goal of the tournament in the 26th minute, a tremendous individual run that began when she picked up a loose ball in the midfield. Reddick then went on a 30-yard run through the defense that culminated with Reddick beating a Mexican defender at the top of the box and blasting a 20-yard shot that arced over the jumping Linnea Quinones and tucked under the crossbar. It was Reddick’s second dangerous run from the back in the game, the first ended with the U.S. defender blasting her 18-yard shot well over the goal. In this tournament, the United States made a habit of jumping on teams early, but surprisingly it was Mexico that nearly went ahead in the first minute. Solo hesitated coming off her line and collided with defender Nandi Pryce at the top of the penalty box. The ball popped out from between them and was headed to the goal, but Pryce averted disaster by recovering and clearing the ball from danger. Mexico had another chance in the 15th minute when Mora Vallejo beat a charging Solo at the top of the penalty box, but U.S. defender Karyn Hall cleared the ball from the goal line. Vallejo controlled the clearance and took a shot from 10 yards out that Solo smothered as she dove to her left. The win came at a cost for the Americans, who were already without midfielder Jena Kluegel because of a knee injury. Pryce took a blow to her left eye in the 42nd minute and was taken to an eye doctor for further examination. Bad luck struck again in the 79th minute when Solo charged off her line to punch a Mexican corner kick away, but in doing so, collided with U.S. midfielder Becky Myers. Myers was taken off the field and preliminary examinations suggest she may have broken her nose. She returned to the field for the medal ceremony and further examinations will be carried out tonight. The win gave the United States its third inaugural women’s championship this decade. The Americans also won the first Women’s World Cup in 1991 and the Olympics in 1996. Aug. 5 in Winnipeg, Man. USA 1 Mexico 0. Goal: Reddick 26. USA — Solo, Pryce (Lewis, 46), Kraus, Hall, Reddick, Comfort, Myers (Taggert, 84), Lindsey, Molinaro, Patrick (Sellers, 87), Wallis. Mexico — Quinones, S.Mora, Almarz, Romero, Vergara, Leyva, Carmen, Vallejo, Rubalcaba (Ramirez, 24; Romo, 61; Durutti, 90), Rosales, Marin. Att.: n/a.

USA Quote Sheet

CATHERINE REDDICK “We just came together as a whole team and became one. We’ve worked so hard for this. We’ve been going straight soccer for 20 days. We just kept practicing and becoming more of a team. We grew and were just one force — it was hard to stop us.” “This is overwhelming. State [championships] is huge, but it’s just state-known. This is internationally-known and this is just a great experience. It’s a great experience for the whole team and we’ll just keep growing.” On the success of the Women’s World Cup team: “Two weeks after they won the World Cup gold, people were asking us if we were the World Cup team. We said, ‘No, we’re their understudies,’ and that’s where we like to be. We want to grow and become like a Brandi Chastain or a Mia Hamm. It was awesome.” KIM PATRICK “It was a great game. Both teams played tough, but I’m just glad we got that early goal in the first half. We wished we could’ve scored a little more, but it was a well-fought match. We played them before and they got a late goal… and we didn’t want that to happen again this game. So we played a little smarter in the last few minutes of the game.” “This is definitely the ultimate that I’ve done. Winning a gold medal, whether it be the Olympics or the Pan Ams, is just the same. It’s definitely on the top of my list right now.” HOPE SOLO “It’s the biggest thing I’ve ever been in. I hope it keeps stepping up from here.” On the expectations of the Pan Am team: “We had our own expectations because we’re a different team. We’re not the USA team, we’re not the World Cup team. We had to deal with our own expectation and distinguish what was ours and what was because they won.” JAY HOFFMAN “It feels great. I feel really happy for the ladies because I thought we played good soccer, I thought they improved with every game. You like their attitude, their fortitude to go out and be able to win a game like this. It wasn’t under easy conditions, I mean Mexico can play. They’ve got some ladies in there with some experience and we came up at the right times to get a goal. Could we have gotten more? Well, maybe we should’ve, but yet I think we had a good game.” On Catherine Reddick’s goal: “She likes to come to the inside. A couple times she stepped up defensively and won some key balls for us and was able to attack out of that left back spot.” On pressure on the team going into the Pan Am Games: “I try to keep it away from them. They know what they have to do. They have a purpose, and you’re right — putting that USA uniform carries a lot of pride. They want to succeed and in a tournament like this you try to reduce to pressure off the field so they come into the Games with a clear mind and be ready to play. They know what they expect and yet at the same time they want to do well.e On the selection of the Pan Am team: “We put together the best possible teams for their development, which is the key. The bottom line here is that these ladies are ready to make the next step and be a World Cup team of 2003 or 2007 and the Olympic team of 2004 and 2008.”