Rutgers' Lloyd, U.S. Defeat Sweden 3-2
Jul 17 | Women's Soccer
BLAINE, MN - Former Rutgers standout Carli Lloyd (Delran, NJ) helped setup the game-winning goal in the 92nd minute as the U.S. Women's Soccer National Team defeated Sweden in a friendly 3-2 July 15 in Blaine, MN.
Lloyd, who started and earned her 10th cap against Sweden, knocked the ball back to Kristine Lilly in the box during stoppage time, and Lilly scored to put the Americans on top for good. The match, played in blistering conditions that easily topped 100 degrees on the pitch, saw the two teams combine for three goals in the final four minutes.
Lloyd played the entire match against Sweden, and has now started five of the Americans' last six matches. She began a six-month WNT residency camp April 2 in Carson, CA.
The contest against Sweden was the first of three domestic matches this month for the Americans. The U.S. will also face Ireland July 23 (ESPN2, 4:00 p.m. ET) and Canada July 30 (ESPN2, 1:00 p.m. ET).
Lloyd earned her first cap with the U.S. Women's National Team last summer, playing in the Americans' 7-0 victory against Ukraine July 10, 2005, in Portland, OR. She played the entire second half of the U.S. vs. Mexico friendly Oct. 23 in Charleston, NC, nearly scoring twice in the closing minutes. Lloyd earned her third cap against Norway Jan. 18 at the Four Nations Tournament in Guangzhou, China, and played the second half of the Americans' 0-0 draw against China March 9 in the opening match of the Algarve Cup in Portugal. She made her first start with the WNT March 11 as the U.S. defeated Denmark 5-0 at the Algarve Cup, and earned her sixth cap in a 4-1 victory against France March 13. She then made her second start in three matches, nearly scoring in the Algarve Cup final against Germany March 15. Lloyd most recently started a pair of matches in Japan, a 3-1 win May 7 and a 1-0 victory May 9.
The midfielder/forward earned her first WNT camp invitations during the summer of 2004, three times joining Team USA at its Olympic Residency Camp.
The 2004 BIG EAST Conference Midfielder of the Year, Lloyd also became the first Scarlet Knight to earn first-team all-BIG EAST honors four times during her career (2001-2004). She was named to the Soccerbuzz All-America Second Team, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Mid-Atlantic Region All-Third Team and the Soccerbuzz Mid-Atlantic Region First Team in 2004. She ended the season with 21 points (10 g, 1 a) to finish her career as Rutgers' all-time leader in points (117) and goals (50). The four-time All-American also was a finalist for the 2004 Soccerbuzz National Player-of-the-Year Award and was named a semifinalist for the Hermann Trophy, the official NSCAA national player-of-the-year award.
During her time 'On the Banks,' Lloyd helped lead the Scarlet Knights to four BIG EAST Tournament berths and two trips to the NCAA Tournament, including a Sweet Sixteen finish in 2001.
