PR Grad One Step from Winning World Cup

Harvard University women's soccer coach Ray Leone knows exactly what he'll be up to come Sunday. He'll be glued to his television set watching World Cup soccer.

And he might just keep an eye on No. 6 in a USA uniform. That belongs to Boston Breakers professional player Amy LePeilbet. She's a graduate who has turned the sport of soccer into something special.

LePeilbet is a member of the USA team that's playing for the World Cup title Sunday against Japan.

"Amy is as tough minded an athlete as you will ever meet and USA Soccer and the World Cup is a lifelong dream of hers,'' Leone said.

Leone didn't always coach at Harvard, he was Arizona State University's coach when LePeilbet played her college soccer.

"She was as coachable as anyone I've ever had the good fortune to coach,'' he said. "She would do anything to help the team win. One time she even put on a gk jersey against UCLA to play sweeper-keeper in the final minutes of a game. I also remember in any game we were down and crunch time came, there was always another level of intensity to her in those times."

LePeilbet's game is defense. She was a second-team All American for Leone at Arizona State. After turning pro, she was twice named World Professional Soccer defensive player of the year.

But playing soccer hasn't come without a cost—a torn ACL shut her down in 2006 and another knee injury slowed her this past year.

"She has played for the USA at different times with a broken arm and a torn ACL,'' Leone said. "She was left off the World Cup team the last time out and the Olympic team but she never ever gave up."

The United State last won the World Cup in 1999.