USA's Lilly proud of milestone but far from done

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CARSON, Calif. -- An American athletic pioneer will return to the place where she began her international soccer career to erect a milestone in previously unexplored territory.

Kristine Lilly, a key figure on teams that won two women's World Cups and two Olympic gold medals, will make her 300th international appearance for the USA in the Four Nations Tournament in China when the Americans play Norway on Wednesday.

No other soccer player, male or female, has represented a nation 300 times.

"It makes me realize that I've been around for a long time," Lilly, 34, says with a laugh. "This was never one of my personal goals, but when I look at it I'm proud of it because it means I've been contributing for so long at the highest level."

By comparison, Mexico's Claudio Suarez has the most international appearances of any man, 173.

"Nothing like that exists on the men's side," U.S. women's coach Greg Ryan says of Lilly's impending achievement. "You just can't last that long."

Lilly has done more than last. She continues to contribute from the midfield. Last year Lilly started all eight of the USA's games, scoring four goals and three assists, and she won U.S. Soccer's award as its female athlete of the year.

"If we could only clone her, we'd be winners forever," former U.S. captain Julie Foudy says. "It makes you shake your head about how she can continue to do what she has done for so many years."

Lilly played her first game for the USA in China in 1987, 12 days after her 16th birthday. Mia Hamm made her international debut in the same game.

"I was so nervous and so scared because I was so young. But it was also very exciting," Lilly says. "There's a very special feeling that you get when you walk on the field to represent your country."

The native of Wilton, Conn., would join Hamm, Foudy, Brandi Chastain, Joy Fawcett and Briana Scurry to form the core of a team that dominated women's soccer for almost two decades. She ranks second behind Hamm in all-time international scoring with 105 goals.

"She hasn't gotten the recognition that she's deserved for what she's given to this sport," Foudy says. "She has been the foundation of our team for so long."

Lilly works with Boston University's strength and conditioning coach, Glenn Harris, to stay fit. She occasionally competes in long-distance running and climbed Tanzania's 19,340-foot Mount Kilimanjaro with two friends 13 months ago.

"It was probably the most amazing thing I've done outside the game," Lilly says. "The view is just beautiful. Sometimes you're in the clouds; sometimes you're above the clouds."

Lilly says she plans "to make it to the next World Cup" in China in 2007 as part of "my push toward the end." Until then, her coach believes she can walk vigorously on the trail she began marking as a teenager.

"She's getting up there," Ryan says, "but you'd never know it."

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