CARSON, Calif. (May 7, 2007) - The U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team and head coach Jillian Ellis headed to Manchester, England for three matches against top English women’s clubs.

The U-20s will play Everton Ladies on May 8, the Leeds Ladies on May 10 and the Blackburn Ladies on May 12. Leeds and Blackburn may be without some National Team players as England plays Northern Ireland in a European Championship qualifier on May 12 and has a friendly on May 17. Everton, however, could have as many as nine National Team players in its side for the first match of the tour.

Ellis, who was born and grew up in England before coming to the USA at the age of 15, continues to form a pool of players that will look to qualify the USA for the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup that will be held at the end of next year in Chile. Qualifying is tentatively set for the second quarter of 2008. 

Players born on or after January 1, 1988, are age-eligible for the next U-20 Women’s World Cup. Most of the players on the roster were born in 1988, with several in 1989 and one in 1990 in midfielder Teresa Noyola.

U.S. U-20 WNT Schedule
Date       Opponent               Venue
May 8     Everton Ladies      Netherton
May 10  Leeds Ladies         Harrogate
May 12  Blackburn Ladies  Clitheroe FC

U.S. U-20 WNT Roster
GOALKEEPERS (2): Chantel Jones (Virginia); Alyssa Naeher (Penn State);
DEFENDERS (4): Kelly Henderson (Boston College), Nicole Ketchum (Texas A & M), Nikki Marshall (Colorado), Carly Peetz (Nebraska);
MIDFIELDERS (5): Kaley Fountain (Wake Forest), Ali Hawkins (UNC), Whitney Hooper (Texas A & M), Teresa Noyola (MVLA Mercury), Kylie Wright (So Cal Blues);
FORWARDS (7): Gina DiMartino (Boston College), Ashlee Elliott (Florida), Michelle Enyeart (Portland), Rachel Givan (Mississippi Fire), Melissa Henderson (Dallas Texans), Alicia Jenkins (Stanford), Jessica McDonald (Phoenix College)