BRIEFLY.

Byline: - Daily News Staff and Wire Services

U.S. wins seventh straight Nordic Cup

The United States won its seventh consecutive Nordic Cup when the Under-21 women's national soccer team rolled over archrival Norway 4-1 Tuesday in Karlskoga, Sweden.

Lauren Cheney scored her second goal of the tournament, Carli Lloyd got her third, Heather O'Reilly connected for her fourth and midfielder Lori Chalupny added her first of the competition.

The U.S. team, which was coached by UCLA's Jillian Ellis, has won eight of the last nine Nordic Cup tournaments dating back to 1997. The event is held every summer in northern Europe, and is the world's premier competition for under-21 women.

``The tournament was just a lot of fun,'' said Cheney, 17. ``Soccerwise, the atmosphere was just great. To be able to play with Carli, Tarp (Lindsay Tarpley) and Heather, all these awesome players, was just so fun.''

--MLS suspended New England defender Joe Franchino two games and fined him $500 for a serious foul against Hector Cuadros in Chivas USA's victory Friday. The players' union appealed the penalties, and a ruling by commissioner Don Garber is expected before New England's game today against the Galaxy.

--Defender Jamie Carragher scored his first goal in six years with Liverpool, leading the defending champion to a 3-1 victory over Lithuania's FBK Kaunas in a second-round qualifying match for the European Champions League.

--U.S. soccer captain Claudio Reyna, who missed much of last season with a leg injury, plans to be available for next month's World Cup qualifier against Trinidad and Tobago at East Hartford, Conn.

TRACK AND FIELD: USC high jumper Jesse Williams will represent the United States at the World Outdoor Championships after equaling the 'A' qualifying standard of 7 feet, 6.5 inches at the DN Galan IAAF Super Grand Prix in Stockholm, Sweden, on Tuesday, the final day of the qualifying period.

The senior-to-be cleared the distance on his second attempt at the height. He was runner-up at the 2005 USA Outdoor Championships and the Pac-10 Conference Men's Field Athlete of the Year.

CYCLING: Lance Armstrong's record seventh consecutive Tour de France victory was watched by an average of 1.7 million viewers Sunday, the largest audience in the history of the Outdoor Life Network.

MOTOR SPORTS: Target Chip Ganassi Racing said it had been decided not to exercise its contract option with IndyCar driver Darren Manning for the 2006 season and that both parties felt it in their best interest to move on.

--The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will hold its first race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in 2006, creating a three-event weekend and taking on college football.

The race will be held Oct. 7 on the eve of the Nextel Cup UAW-Ford 500 at the 2.66-mile superspeedway, track and NASCAR officials said.

WATER POLO: The United States can finish no better than 11th after a 5-3 loss to Germany in the World Swimming Championships in Montreal. The Americans will face Cuba in the 11th-place game Thursday.

FOOTBALL: ACC Commissioner John Swofford announced agreements with the Emerald Bowl and the Music City Bowl that will give the league at least eight bowl destinations following next season, including one in the Bowl Championship Series.