Angela Hucles makes her goals for the United States count, even if they only come around every four years or so.

Hucles scored late in injury time — her first since 2004 — and Abby Wambach had two more to push closer to the 100-goal milestone before setting up the winner. That was enough to give the U.S. women's soccer team a 5-4 win over Australia in yesterday's friendly at Birmingham, Ala., the most goals the team has ever allowed in a win.

Cat Whitehill's free kick went to Wambach, who headed it to Hucles coming up from behind. She poked it in between goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri and the left post with about 30 seconds left in the added time for the second straight survival win over Australia.

"I saw Abby was going to head the ball and I just called for it," said Hucles, whose last goal for the U.S. was another game-winner Oct. 16, 2004 against Mexico. "Everything pretty much just aligned perfectly."

Lindsay Tarpley scored twice in the first half at Legion Field for the U.S., which blew a 4-1 lead thanks partly to two own goals before pulling it out.

"There is something with this team that we refuse to lose," said U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage. "The way we're winning is different, but playing in games like this is so important for us to deal with. This is another good result by the U.S. team."

The 27-year-old Wambach converted a header off an assist from Shannon Boxx 19 seconds into the second half for her 95th career goal with the national team. Only eight players have scored 100 in international soccer.

University of Hawai'i and Kahuku High alum Natasha Kai started for the Americans and assisted on two first-half goals.

After Tarpley tied the score on a five-yard shot in the 28th minute, Kai played Wambach a nice pass into the right side of the penalty box. Wambach beat Clare Polkinghorne with a stutter-step before slapping her shot through the legs of Barbieri in the 29th minute.

Then three minutes before halftime, Kai chipped a cross into the goal area. Tarpley took the ball down with her chest inside the penalty area and then struck a volley just inside the left post.

COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL

PENN STATE WINS TITLE

Top-ranked Penn State won its first NCAA men's volleyball championship in 14 years, rallying for a 27-30, 33-31, 30-25, 30-23 victory over second-ranked Pepperdine last night in Irvine, Calif.

Matt Anderson had 29 kills for the Nittany Lions (30-1), who beat UCLA in 1994 for their last NCAA men's volleyball title. Anderson, the national co-player of the year, was selected the NCAA tournament's most valuable player.

Penn State became the second school to win NCAA men's and women's titles in the same academic year. Stanford accomplished the feat in 1997.

Paul Carroll had 35 kills, eight digs and three aces for the Waves (17-11).

BOXING

DE LA HOYA WINS

In what was little more than a tuneup for a much bigger fight, Oscar De La Hoya kicked off his retirement tour last night with a 12-round decision over a game but overmatched Steve Forbes at Carson, Calif.

The win set up a September rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr., who beat De La Hoya by split decision last May in what was the richest fight ever.

De La Hoya improved to 39-5 with 30 KOs. Forbes, whose previous biggest claim to fame was losing in the final of the "Contender" reality series fell to 33-6 with 9 KOs.

AND WHAT'S MORE ...

Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh ran their season-opening beach volleyball winning streak to three tournaments yesterday, beating Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder, 21-17, 22-20, in the final of the AVP Crocs Tour's Huntington Beach Open. In the men's final, Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers also won their third straight event, beating John Hyden and Brad Keenan, 21-14, 22-20. ... Firat Arslan (28-3, 18 knockouts) earned a convincing decision against American Darnell Wilson (23-7-3, 20 KOs) to retain his WBA cruiserweight title yesterday in Stuttgart, Germany.