updated 7:20 p.m. ET July 8, 2006

GLADSTONE, N.J. - Michelle Wie dropped out first.

Annika Sorenstam was sent packing about an hour later.

Just like that, the HSBC Women’s World Match Play Championship lost its top two seeds and a possible dream final-round showdown.

Long-hitting Brittany Lincicome knocked out Wie with a 4-and-3 victory in the quarterfinals Saturday, and 46-year-old Juli Inkster beat Sorenstam 1-up with a 4-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole — moments after Sorenstam missed a 6-footer.

“What can you say other than that Juli beat me,” Sorenstam said. “She played very good. I got off to a really good start and she finished very strong.”

The 16-year-old Wie, winless in 30 starts on the LPGA Tour, beat Se Ri Pak 2 and 1 in their morning third-round match, then fell behind early against the 20-year-old Lincicome on the hilly Hamilton Farm course.

“I thought I played really well. I just had a lot of bad breaks,” Wie said. “Brittany played really good today and that’s how match play is.

“Obviously, I’m disappointed that I didn’t win, but I still feel satisfied with the way I played. I didn’t lose because I didn’t play well. It’s just that I played well and she hit a couple of shots better than me.”

Lincicome struggled to come up with specifics when asked about Wie’s bad breaks.

“I don’t remember there being any like bad kicks. I don’t think,” she said. “She had a couple of putts where she blew it by.”

Lincicome had no trouble relating the significance of the victory.

“It was huge,” she said.

“My driving and putting are coming together. Normally, I would do one good, but the other one won’t be there. This week, for some reason, they’re both coming together. I’m hitting the fairways and making the putts.”

The top-seeded Sorenstam, a playoff winner Monday in the U.S. Women’s Open, was 3-up after eight holes and 2-up after 11 before Inkster fought her way back.

“I think everyone knows Juli is a great competitor, great golfer and great athlete,” Sorenstam said. “When you stand on the tee and play against Juli, you know it’s going to be a good match.”

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Inkster has thrived in match play, going 5-1 in Solheim Cup singles and winning 18 straight matches in her 1980-82 U.S. Women’s Amateur victories.

“It’s all about momentum,” she said. “It’s all about trying to change the tide, trying to just play your own game.”

The Hall of Famer will face fifth-seeded Paula Creamer in the semifinals Sunday morning. Creamer beat fourth-seeded Karrie Webb 3 and 2.

“I love Paula to death,” Inkster said. “She was my partner at the Solheim Cup, so we’re just going to go out there and play some golf and see what happens.”

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