High-schooler Heather O'Reilly came off the bench to score one goal and set up another as the U.S. women's national team on Sunday exploded for four goals in a 15-minute span of the second half to beat Italy, 4-0, and claim its eighth U.S. Women's Cup title.

O'Reilly, a senior at East Brunswick (N.J.) High School and one of the stars of the U.S. U-19 team that won a world championship last month, scored her first international goal three minutes after coming on in the 66th minute, then assisted on Joy Fawcett's tally four minutes after that.

The match was played before 3,144 at SAS Stadium in Cary, N.C.

Kristine Lilly snapped a scoreless tie in the 64th, and Brandi Chastain capped the victory in the 78th with her third penalty kick in as many matches.

The Americans romped in the four-nation exhibition tournament, beating each of its three foes — Russia, Australia and the Italians — by four goals.

''We felt like we created enough chances in the first half to be up, 4-0,'' U.S. coach April Heinrichs said. ''Both teams played low pressure, but when we won the ball, we were getting behind them and creating chances. When you finish, you can jump all over an opponent early. When you don't, you'll have to grind it out over a 90-minute period.''

Mia Hamm, who sparked the U.S. attack when she came on at halftime, was selected tournament MVP, her third U.S. Women's Cup honor. She also won the award in 1995 and 1997.

The tournament concludes with an Australia-Italy match Wednesday in Cary.

U.S. WOMEN'S CUP
1. United States 3-0-0 13-1 9
2. Australia 1-1-0 2-4 3
3. Russia 1-2-0 3-8 3
4. Italy 0-2-0 1-6 0

Sunday, Oct. 6 at Cary, N.C.

United States 4 Italy 0. Goals: Lilly 64, O'Reilly 69, Fawcett 73, Chastain pen. 78.

United States — Mullinix (Scurry, 46); Sobrero (Roberts, 46), Chastain, Fawcett, Slaton (Reddick, 79); Lilly, Fair, Foudy, Hucles (O'Reilly, 66); MacMillan (Hamm, 46), Parlow (Wambach, 46).

Italy — Comin (Brunozzi, 83); Perelli, Conti, Boni (Masia, 68), Camporese (Pellizzer, 78); Zorri, Maglio (Placchi, 91+), Tuttino, Panico; Guarino, Gazzoli (Pasqui, 68).

Yellow cards — Italy: Zorri 62.

Referee — Sonia Denoncourt (Canada). A — 3,144.

Other result

Australia 2 (Golebiowski 13, Peters 43) Russia 0

Remaining schedule
Oct. 9 at Cary, N.C.
Australia vs. Italy