By Scott French, Senior Editor

THE REAL ALY: The Aly Wagner we've been waiting for — and watching with the U.S. women's national team and at Santa Clara University — made her WUSA debut on Saturday with an otherworldly performance in San Diego's 4-2 victory over visiting New York.

Wagner, the first selection in February's draft, entered the league with best-player-ever possibilities, but she hadn't made an imprint through her first nine games that approached expectations. She had struggled under constant coverage and hadn't been as involved as a playmaker of her caliber should be, and, for once, her stats — one goal, a fine winner May 24 against Carolina, the Spirit's last victory before Saturday, and one assist — told the story.

Until Saturday. This week she was the fulcrum of almost everything San Diego accomplished, putting on a passing clinic while probing the Power's defense and prodding the Spirit to its best output in nearly a year.

Wagner was given credit for two assists (on Julie Fleeting's two goals), should have had three (a third Fleeting strike was waved off by a phantom foul), really had four (Jaclyn Raveia turned Wagner's driven cross into her net for an own goal), and really should have had five (how does Fleeting miss after Wagner's oh-my-god feed?).

''Obviously, with a player of her caliber,'' San Diego coach Omid Namazi said, ''you have expectations coming in. I think she's been disappointed more than anybody with her play. Today, she came out of her shell and showed everybody what she can do.''

The No. 2 pick from February's draft, New York striker Christie Welsh, lasted only six minutes, until she was felled by San Diego goalkeeper Jaime Pagliarulo in a goalmouth scramble. She's questionable this week with a pulled calf muscle.

PARLOW'S TRIO: Atlanta surged atop the standings with a 4-2 triumph over Philadelphia as Cindy Parlow netted her first WUSA hat trick.

Parlow, who scored four goals in the U.S. women's team's May 17 win over England in Birmingham, Ala., scored in the 43rd, 54th and 64th minutes as Atlanta overcame an early deficit to open a two-point lead on Washington and Boston.

Marinette Pichon matched Maren Meinert with her eighth goal of the season for the last-place Charge, which has given up 23 goals in 11 games, 2.09 per game. Philly last year had the league's best defense, allowing only 22 goals in 21 games.

Charge defender Jenny Benson was red-carded in the 85th minute after fouling Pohlers from behind.

BEST GOAL: A feast of choices from San Diego and Atlanta. Zhang Ouying's leaping header, from Fleeting's perfectly weighted cross? Or Conny Pohlers' blast to the upper-left from 24 yards? Or Emily Janss' bouncing volley?

We'll go with Melanie Hoffmann's 18-yard volley to the upper-left from Marinette Pichon's cross in the ninth minute of Philly's loss in Atlanta.

STREAKING: The hottest team in the WUSA is defending champion Carolina, which extended its unbeaten streak to five games as Erin Baxter's first WUSA goal — a header from Brooke O'Hanley's corner kick — knocked off first-place Boston, 1-0.

The Courage, which won just one of its first seven matches, is just two points out of a playoff berth and five points off the lead.

Kristin Luckenbill notched her third successive shutout — she's gone 336 minutes since surrendering a goal — and Carolina did a fine job of limiting service to All-Star MVP Maren Meinert and Dagny Mellgren.

Boston lost left back Heather Aldama to a back injury following a first-half collision with Venus James. Aldama, questionable this week, was receiving treatment off the field, with the Breakers down to 10 players, when Baxter struck.

NEW FREEDOM: Pretinha's two goals enabled San Jose to close its team-record three-game losing streak with a 2-2 tie at Washington, which hasn't won since May 24.

Freedom coach Jim Gabarra unveiled a new look, with a diamond midfield, an altered back four and a different role for Mia Hamm, who had a goal and an assist to pull even (with 20 points) with Carolina's Danielle Fotopoulos and Boston's Maren Meinert atop the WUSA scoring chart.

Hamm, after starting the match on the right side of the diamond, quickly swapped spots up top with Jacqui Little. Hamm has played in midfield all season but is used primarily as a forward with the U.S. women's national team.

Lindsay Stoecker was at the rear of the diamond, with Steffi Jones in the attacking spot and Kelly Golebiowski on the left. German newcomer Sandra Minnert joined Jen Grubb in central defense with Carrie Moore shifting to left back and Emmy Barr relegated to the bench.

WUSA SUMMARIES WEEK 12: Parlow trio puts Beat on top

June 19 at Cary, N.C.
WORLD STARS 3 AMERICAN STARS 2.
Goals: Meinert (Lehn, Prinz) 34, Mellgren (Meinert, Dominguez) 40, Meinert (Katia, Mellgren) 61; Chastain (Hamm, Milbrett) 29, Fotopoulos (Milbrett) 71.
MVP: Maren Meinert (Boston)
Att.: 7,068.

June 21 at San Diego
SAN DIEGO (4-3-4, 16 points) 4 NEW YORK (5-6-1, 16 points) 2.
Goals: own goal Raveia 11, Zhang (Fleeting, Foudy) 40, Fleeting (Wagner) 62, Fleeting (Zhang, Wagner) 91+; Janss (Rapp) 36, Rapp (Milbrett, Pearce) 68.
Att.: 4,783.

June 21 at Boston
BOSTON (5-4-2, 17 points) 0 CAROLINA (4-5-2, 14 points) 1.
Goal: Baxter (O'Hanley) 35.
Att.: 6,256.

June 22 at Washington
WASHINGTON (5-3-2, 17 points) 2 SAN JOSE (4-6-1, 13 points) 2.
Goals: Hamm (J. Little) 35, Wambach (J. Little, Hamm) 44; Pretinha 32, Pretinha (Chastain, Cromwell) 48.
Att.: 7,057.

June 22 at Atlanta
ATLANTA (5-2-4, 19 points) 4 PHILADELPHIA (3-6-2, 11 points) 2.
Goals: Pohlers 31, Parlow (Pohlers, Bivens) 43, Parlow (Serlenga) 54, Parlow 64; Hoffmann (Pichon) 9, Pichon (Tietjen-Prozzo, Burt) 47+.
Red card: Philadelphia: Benson 85.
Att.: 5,218.