CHICAGO (July 14, 2005) -- U.S. forward Kelly Schmedes will not travel to the Nordic Cup with the U.S. Under-21 Women's National Team after suffering an ankle injury in the exhbition match against the New Jersey Wildcats on Wednesday (July 13).

U.S. head coach Jillian Ellis was bringing 19 players to Sweden and will now go with a roster of 18. Schmedes, who suffered the injury almost immediatley after coming into the match (a 2-1 U.S. victory), did not suffer any fractures, but the severity of the sprain was such that she would not be healthy in time for the Nordic Cup, which begins on July 20 when the USA takes on Iceland in Kristinehamn.

This the second time that Schmedes, formerly Kelly Wilson, was injured right before the Nordic Cup. In 2003, Schmedes pulled a muscle right before the tournament and had to be scratched. The USA is going for its unprecedented seventh consecutive title at the Nordic Cup, the top competition in the world for U-21 women.