ELLESLEY - Shortly after the US finished its practice at Babson College yesterday, Kate Sobrero was asked about her relationship with her friend and former Notre Dame teammate, Monica Gerardo.
No sooner than Sobrero began singing Gerardo's praises, she spotted her friend, now a member of the Mexican national team, walking toward the field and shouted, ''There she is! I'm talking about you right now!''
''You'd better be saying all good things about me!'' yelled Gerardo, whose team plays Italy today at Foxborough Stadium, prior to the US contest against North Korea.
''All bad stuff, all bad stuff!'' Sobrero responded.
Sobrero was just kidding. She had nothing but good things to say about her friend. At Notre Dame, they helped the Fighting Irish win the 1995 NCAA championship. Gerardo, then a freshman, went on to become the school's all-time leading scorer (190 points), while then-sophomore Sobrero was the team's defensive anchor.
''Monica's one of my best friends,'' said Sobrero. ''She's a really good player, she's really technical. I feared her the most in practice. She has a knack for the goal.''
Since then their soccer careers have gone in opposite directions. Sobrero is a defender for arguably the world's best women's soccer team.
On the other end of the soccer universe is Mexico.
Competing in the ''Group of Death'' with Brazil, Germany, and Italy, the Mexican team is but 15 months old, and its inexperience shows. The Mexicans are currently winless in World Cup play, having been outscored, 13-1. Germany outshot Mexico, 43-2, in a 6-0 victory at Portland, Ore. Thursday night. Mexico has allowed three hat tricks and attempted just one corner-kick in two games.
Gerardo, now a senior at Notre Dame, is one of a handful of talented American-born players on the Mexican team. Theyparticipated in US training camps but did not make the team. They are able to play for Mexico, despite being American citizens, because one or both of their parents were born there. However, since they have already earned an international cap in Mexico, they are no longer eligible to play for the American team.
''I know where I am as a soccer player,'' said Gerardo, 22. ''And I know that I'm not at the level where I need to be at to be on the United States women's soccer team. I've come to that realization. I came to it a long time ago, so it hasn't really been that frustrating. Of course I'd like to be playing with Kate and many of those other good players that are on that team. But I'm happy to be representing Mexico and helping them out. We're starting something new here, and it's something to be proud of.''
''She's just happy that she's getting the experience she's having,'' said Sobrero of Gerardo. ''How many people in their life get to say they were part of a World Cup? Regardless of who's she's playing for - and I think I'd be the same way - she just want's to be a part of it.''
Then there's the matter of the media and fans. Sobrero, like the rest of her teammates, has attained celebrity status. Most of the 50,000-plus fans expected tonight will be there to cheer on the Americans. And when US team bus left Babson yesterday, it took the television cameras, adoring soccer fans, and World Cup hoopla with it, leaving the Mexican team to practice on the very same field in relative obscurity.
