Rachel Kruze is expected to make her Icelandic league debut Monday when IBV takes on Valur in a top-of-the-standings showdown.

Kruze, a former West Virginia University star who was a WUSA rookie last season, joins fellow Philadelphia Charge defender Mary McVeigh with IBV (4-0-2). Valur (6-0-0) holds a four-point edge in the Landsbankadeild Kvenna standings.

Kruze will live with McVeigh, who also was her roommate in Philadelphia. It was through McVeigh's connections at Dartmouth University, her alma mater, that Kruze was invited to play at IBV.

''It was kind of random,'' Kruze said on the eve of her departure. ''They wanted some Americans to come over and play.''

Kruze said she was looking forward to experiencing another culture. ''I've never been anywhere in Europe, or anything,'' she said. ''I've heard it's beautiful. I'm just excited to go see it.''

She plans to take an independent study course while in Iceland to complete her master's degree in special education at West Virginia University.

Kruze, who played for Philadelphia in the June 27 WUSA Festival in Carson, Calif., has been critical to the Steel City Sparks' 6-1-0 start to the Women's Premier Soccer League season. She has three goals and two assists in six games with the Pittsburgh area-based Sparks.

ASKER GOT A late goal and a Norwegian league victory Saturday, but it dropped a spot in the Toppserien standings, to fourth.

Lindy Wiik's 85th-minute strike delivered Asker (5-1-4) a 2-1 win over visiting Sandviken (2-5-3). Kjersti Thun's sixth-minute goal had given Asker an early lead, but Elisabeth Brandal answered a half-hour later.

Wiik was a second-half substitute, coming on in the 60th minute for former Charge forward Darci Borski.

Arna Heimlund scored twice as Floya (6-3-1) routed Klepp, 4-0, to move ahead of Asker on goal-differential. Both clubs are seven points behind first-place Trondheims-Orn (8-0-2) and three behind Roa (7-2-1).

Former Carolina Courage star Hege Riise scored two goals, one in the 90th minute, to lift Team Strommen (3-5-2) to a 2-2 tie with Trondheims-Orn. Roa moved closer to the lead with a 2-0 win at Kolbotn (5-4-1), which entered the weekend even on points with Asker and Floya.

The Toppserien is on break until Aug. 7.

IN FINLAND, former Duquesne University defender Becky Barritt played 90 minutes as FC Honka (2-2-4) won for the second time in three Naisten SM games. Elina Syrjala scored both goals in a 2-0 win Saturday over visiting Ilves (4-4-0).

Honka is in seventh place, 12 points behind league leader FC United (7-0-1), which scored a 2-0 triumph Saturday over third-place HJK (6-3-0).

FINLAND
* Becky Barritt (FC Honka, D1), vs. Ilves, 2-0 (Saturday).
90 minutes. Seventh-place Honka is 2-2-4.
Season league stats: 5 games, 0 goals.

ICELAND
* Alison Jarrow (Stjarnan, D1), vs. Breidablik, Tuesday.
Season league stats: 6 games, 0 goals.

* Sarah Lentz (Stjarnan, D1), vs. Breidablik, Tuesday.
Season league stats: 6 games, 0 goals.

* Rachel Kruze (IBV, D1), at Valur, Monday.
Season league stats: 0 games, 0 goals.

* Mary McVeigh (IBV, D1), at Valur, Monday.
Season league stats: 4 games, 0 goals.

NORWAY
* Darci Borski (Asker, Toppserien), vs. Sandviken, 2-1 (Saturday).
Started at forward, replaced in 60th minute by Lindy Wiik.
Season league stats: 8 games, 1 goal.