MACOYA, Trinidad (July 22, 2008) – The U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team won Group A of the 2008 CONCACAF Under-17 Women’s Championship with a 9-1 win against Trinidad & Tobago in their final group match Tuesday night at Marvin Lee Stadium. Forward Courtney Verloo led the squad, scoring a hat trick, while Kristen Mewis added two goals and Victoria DiMartino, Samantha Johnson and Alexis Harris each added one. Midfielder Erika Tymrak dished out four assists on the night, finding four different teammates for goals.

In the semifinals, the U.S. will face Mexico who finished in second place in Group B. The semifinal matchup will take place at 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 24, at Marvin Lee Stadium in Trinidad. In the other semifinal clash, at 5 p.m. ET on Thursday, Canada will face Costa Rica. The two semifinal winners will automatically qualify for the 2008 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup, to be held from Oct. 28-Nov. 16 in New Zealand. The third place team from CONCACAF will also qualify.

Costa Rica advanced to the semifinals with an 8-1 victory against El Salvador in their final match. The margin of victory, combined with the U.S. margin of victory against Trinidad & Tobago, boosted the Ticas to second place in Group A.

“We’re very pleased to go into the next stage,” said U.S. U-17 WNT head coach Kazbek Tambi. “We’ve taken the first group one game at a time and tonight was important for us because a tie or a victory was going to put us through in first place in our group. That’s what we wanted. I’m very proud of the players. They had an awesome game and we’re through to the next stage.”

The U.S. U-17 Women opened the scoring even earlier than in previous matches, with Verloo and Kristen Mewis combining to find the net in the second minute. Verloo gained possession of the ball deep on the right side and sent in a cross that Kristen Mewis slammed into the upper right corner of the net with a one-time shot.

It was Verloo’s turn to score nine minutes later. The U.S. earned a corner kick on the right side that Tymrak sent into the middle of the 18-yard box. Defender Amber Brooks was there to get a head on the ball, but her shot pinged off the crossbar. Verloo, who had followed through on the play, was there to meet it, hitting the ball into the goal from three yards out.

Trinidad & Tobago surprised the U.S. one minute later with a goal of their own. The U.S. was called for a foul and Soca Princesses earned a free kick from about 40 yards out on the right side of the field. Trinidadian defender Karyn Forbes launched the ball into the middle of the area, where it slipped through U.S. goalkeeper Kelsey Wys’s hands and onto the ground behind her. Captain Mariah Shade had followed through on the play and was there to tap the ball into the open net.

DiMartino created a scoring opportunity in the 18th minute when she carried the ball up the left side of the Trinidadian area, trying to shrug off Rhea Belgrave. DiMartino and Belgrave stumbled and fell, but both jumped right back up and as DiMartino was going for the ball, Belgrave grabbed on to her shirt and pulled her back down. Mexican referee Queztalli Alvarado did not hesitate in pointing to the penalty spot. Kristen Mewis, who was named captain for the match, capitalized on the penalty kick and increased the score to 3-1.

It became 4-1 just two minutes later, as Alexis Harris collected the ball in the middle of the field and slotted it out to the right for Tymrak. Tymrak collected the ball and moved in towards the center, sending a sharp, precise pass straight ahead, where DiMartino was cutting through the Trinidadian defense. DiMartino ran onto the ball and faced goalkeeper Saundra Baron, sending a low, driven shot into the back of the net.

Tymrak assisted Johnson’s goal four minutes later. She received the ball on the right flank from Verloo, who beat midfielder Jessica De Leon one-on-one. Tymrak carried the ball to the endline and slipped a cross back to Johnson, who is wide open at the top of the six-yard box. Johnson doesn’t even let the ball touch the ground, blasting in the volley for the team’s fifth goal.

In the 43rd minute, Tymrak outran her defender on the right flank, earning a corner kick. She sent the ball back to Harris, who was just outside the 18-yard box. Harris looked up and sent a high ball over the out-stretched hands of Baron and into the upper left corner of the net.

Tymrak had her fourth and final assist of the night in stoppage time of the first half. Samantha Mewis collected the ball in the center of the field and played it into space on the right flank. Tymrak outran her defender and sent in a cross from the touchline to an onrushing Verloo who slipped the ball into the goal for her second tally of the evening.

Verloo capped off her hat trick in the 51st minute when DiMartino shook off a defender and sent a cross in from the left side. Verloo was there to meet it, getting a head on the ball and sending it past Baron.

The U.S. team’s ninth and final goal came from No. 9, Samantha Mewis. The U.S. earned a corner kick on the right side that Morgan Brian sent into the middle of the area. The defense tried to clear it with a header, but it was poorly done and the ball bounced to Samantha Mewis, who sent a one-time, left-footed volley across the goal and into the upper left corner of the net.

CONCACAF is the last region to qualify for the 2008 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in New Zealand, after Ghana and Nigeria clinched African qualifying earlier this month. The winner of the CONCACAF qualifying tournament will join Group C as the seeded team along with Japan, France and Paraguay. One other CONCACAF team will play in Group A with host New Zealand, Colombia and Denmark. The other CONCACAF qualifier will play in Group B with Germany, North Korea and either Ghana or Nigeria. A draw will be held to determine who will be Team A from CONCACAF and who will be Team B.

-- U.S. UNDER-17 WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT --

Match-up: USA vs. Trinidad & Tobago
Competition: 2008 CONCACAF Under-17 Women’s Championship
Venue: Marvin Lee Stadium; Macoya, Trinidad
Date: July 22, 2008; Kickoff – 7:00 p.m. ET
Attendance: 3,000
Weather: 90 degrees, Partly Cloudy

Scoring Summary:    1    2    F
USA                               7    2    9
TRI                                 1    0    1

USA – Kristen Mewis (Courtney Verloo)           2nd minute.
USA – Courtney Verloo (unassisted)                11.
TRI – Mariah Shade (Karyn Forbes)                  12.
USA – Kristen Mewis (penalty)                            18.
USA – Victoria DiMartino (Erika Tymrak)            20.
USA – Samantha Johnson (Erika Tymrak)        24.
USA – Alexis Harris (Erika Tymrak)                     43.
USA – Courtney Verloo (Erika Tymrak)               46+.
USA – Courtney Verloo (Victoria DiMartino)        51.
USA – Samantha Mewis (unassisted)                76.

Lineups:
USA: 24-Kelsey Wys; 2-Crystal Dunn, 4-Alexis Harris, 3-Cloee Colohan, 20-Amber Brooks; 13-Kristen Mewis (14-Olivia Klei, 46), 9-Samantha Mewis, 8-Erika Tymrak (12-Morgan Brian, 46), 6-Samantha Johnson; 15-Victoria DiMartino, 21-Courtney Verloo (7-Kathryn Bennett, 74)
Subs not used: 1-Alexa Gaul, 5-Sydney Payne, 10-Tani Costa, 23-Rachel Nuzzolese
Head Coach: Kazbek Tambi

TRI: 1-Saundra Baron; 2-Taylor Mims, 4-Rhea Belgrave, 5-Arin King; 11-Sidonia Hoareau (9-Stephanie Williams, 74), 12-Camille Pereira (3-Latifa Kelly, 74), 14-Karyn Forbes, 16-Shahamin Nunes (13-Natasha Prentice, 46), 19-Shakira Salandy; 7-Jessica De Leon, 10-Mariah Shade
Subs not used: 21-Daystar Swift, 6-Tiana Bateau, 18-Rebecca Cuthbert, 8-Afiyah Matthias, 17-Casey McKenzie, 15-Natasha St. Louis
Head Coach: Randy Waldrum

Statistical Summary: USA / TRI
Shots:                                26 / 2
Shots on Goal:                 19 / 1
Saves:                                  0 / 10
Corner Kicks:                   11 / 1
Fouls:                                 14 / 7
Offside:                                 6 / 1

Misconduct Summary:

None.

Officials
Referee: Quetzalli Alvarado (MEX)
Asst. Referee: Mayte Chavez (MEX)
Asst. Referee: Antonette Williams (JAM)
4th Official: Sabina Charles (STL)

Sierra Mist Woman of the Match: Erika Tymrak

Group A Results / Schedule
July 18
Costa Rica 0, USA 6
T & T 5, El Salvador 1

July 20
USA 9, El Salvador 0
T & T 0, Costa Rica 0

July 22
El Salvador 1, Costa Rica 8
T & T 1, USA 9

Group A Standings
Team  GP  W   L    T   GF  GA    GD PTS
USA     3    3     0    0   24     1    +23    9
CRC    3    1     1    1     8      7     +1     4
TRI      3     1     1    1     6    10     -4     4
SLV     3     0     3    0     2     22   -20    0

Group B Results / Schedule
July 17
Puerto Rico 0, Canada 3
Mexico 6, Jamaica 0

July 19
Mexico 4, Puerto Rico 0
Canada 4, Jamaica 3

July 21
Jamaica 2, Puerto Rico 1
Canada 4, Mexico 1

Group B Standings
Team   GP  W   L    T    GF   GA    GD   PTS
CAN      3     3    0    0    11      4     +7      9
MEX      3     2    0    0    11      4     +7      6
JAM       3     1    2    0      5     11     -6      3
PUR      3     0    3    0      1      9      -8      0

Semifinals* – Marvin Lee Stadium
Date        Matchup                              Time (ET)
July 24   Canada vs. Costa Rica     5 p.m.
                USA vs. Mexico                    7:30 p.m.

Finals – Marvin Lee Stadium
Date        Matchup                               Time (ET)
July 27    Third Place Match              4 p.m.
                 Championship                   6 p.m.