CHICAGO — Hawai'i's Natasha Kai was not among the 18 players selected yesterday by coach Greg Ryan for the U.S. Women's World Cup soccer team.

Kai, a former Kahuku High all-star and University of Hawai'i All-America forward, could still make the team as Ryan expects to make the final three selections to fill out the 21-player roster in the next few weeks. He said he wanted to get the initial picks out of the way.

"These players have been training and playing together the last two years," Ryan said. "There's always stress about whether you'll make the team. Based on the amount of time they'd had together, it's clear these 18 players are very deserving."

When the World Cup begins in China in two months, Kristine Lilly, the 35-year-old team captain, will be participating for a record fifth time. She will be joined by at least 10 players making their World Cup debuts, the most rookies for a U.S. squad since 1991, when everyone was a first-timer.

Briana Scurry will be in goal for her fourth World Cup. Defenders Kate Markgraf and Christie Rampone made their third World Cup teams, while defender Cat Whitehill, midfielders Shannon Boxx and Aly Wagner and forward Abby Wambach are playing in the event for the second time.

The rookies are goalkeepers Nicole Barnhart and Hope Solo; defenders Tina Ellertson and Stephanie Lopez; midfielders Lori Chalupny, Marci Jobson, Carli Lloyd and Leslie Osborne; and forwards Heather O'Reilly and Lindsay Tarpley.

The Women's World Cup will be held in five Chinese cities from Sept. 10 to 30. The U.S. opens the tournament against North Korea on Sept. 11 in Chengdu.