CARY, NC – University of North Carolina fans who were hoping for a repeat of the 2006 final where Notre Dame came out like a collective dear caught in the headlights of the UNC dynasty were in for a big disappointment when the Irish scored only 16 seconds into the match. Courtney Rosen put Kerri Hanks through with an over the top ball that landed right at Hanks’ feet. Hanks snuck it past Ashlyn Harris for the early lead.

It was all Notre Dame in the opening minutes as they kept the Tar Heel defense under constant pressure. They came to play this time and they didn’t wait until the final minutes to do it.

UNC settled in shortly before the television timeout and began to attack with some patience, probing for an opening to the goal. They were denied by the Notre Dame defense and the teams went into the locker room with a 1-0 Irish score line.

Casey Nogueira answered Anson Dorrance’s half time challenge for one of his players to step up with two 2nd half, world-class strikes. She blasted a free kick into the top left corner to tie the match in the 52nd minute and clinched it for the ‘Heels with the game winner with under three minutes left on the clock.

Dorrance heaped praise on Nogueira, a player that has sometimes frustrated him in the past for her lack of competitive fire.

“On the greatest platform that we have she scored two of the most phenomenal goals I’ve ever seen,” said Dorrance. “Casey has the potential to be one of the greatest players in the world and I think that what you are seeing right now is that evolution.”

For the second straight year, Notre Dame Coach Randy Waldrum attributed the end of his team’s seasons to “outside influences”, presumably poor officiating. He and Kerri Hanks seemed especially troubled by a non-call on Hanks in the box in the final seconds of the match.

"If you are going to call the foul for UNC, you are going to call (the foul on me), said Hanks after getting the green light from her coach to speak out. “I was running and I know she did not mean to trip me but it was in the box and she was the last player. It should have been a call."

The foul did not seem quite as apparent from the press box or from where referee George Vergera was positioned. Waldrum chased Vergera off the field after the match. When asked what he said, Waldrum replied, “What was said is probably better kept between me and him.”

Waldrum seemed unable to offer any credit to North Carolina for the victory although Hanks was more gracious.

Credit is due to both teams for an entertaining and well-fought final. The fans that braved the cold and wind were not left disappointed.

Photos by ycj.com.

The team that played some of the best soccer of the four semi-finalists did not advance to the final. Stanford unleashed a full scale assault on Notre Dame in the second half of the first semi, but they could not find the back of the net. Courtney Barg's first half goal was enough to send the Irish through.

Meanwhile, UNC only needed a PK conversion from Yael Averbuch to set up a rematch of the 2006 final.

We are just two days away from the semi-finals of the 2008 Women's College Cup. Fair Game is busy loading the truck full of magazines to be distributed at the big event. If you are going to be Cary, be sure to find us in the Fan Fest area for your free copy of the latest issue. Don't forget to check the blog often as we will be updating frequently with coverage of the matches, interview, and all the most up-to-date news from the tournament.

Just a reminder that today is draft day for the WPS. Follow it live at 2 pm eastern and don't forget to tune in to Fox Soccer Channel at 8 pm eastern to discuss the draft with Leslie Osborne and Abby Wambach on Fox Football Fone-In.

The Fair Game brain trust has been busy trying to make sense of the International Draft. We sought some clarification from WPS, and league commish Tonya Antonucci was kind enough to field our questions.

Can you clarify how much contact the clubs have been permitted to have with the players prior to the draft? My understanding is that there was a brief period of time before the Olympics when the transfer window was open that there could be some discussion. Have they been allowed enough contact to have any indication as to whether these players are interested in coming over or was it a total shot in the dark in that respect?

Lauren Gregg, former assistant U.S. National team coach, is an independent consultant for the league and teams on player’s availability and contract situation. She was available to teams as an advisor up until the very last moment of the draft selection.

Do you think this draft is representative of the best players in the world?

The fact that there are players from all parts of the world from Asia to Australia, the Americas to Europe really shows the global reach that we are hoping to have with our league in terms of recruiting the world’s best. There certainly was a keen interest in Brazilian talent and I think that speaks to each team’s recognition that their national team plays some of the best and most entertaining soccer in the world, highlighted perhaps by their Olympic run to the gold medal game last month. Clearly there are other great international players who have not yet been drafted, and through the process of discovery and future drafts, beginning with the October General draft, we are likely to see more of these players placed on WPS teams.

We immediately noticed there were no picks from Germany. Was there an indication that they would not come over based on previous discussions?

It was our understanding from Lauren Gregg’s research that players were under contract for long periods of time and have been requested to remain in Germany through World Cup 2011 by their national team coach.

Word from across the pond is that Arsenal head coach, Vic Akers, is up in arms that two of his players are being promoted as having been drafted by WPS and that it is misleading. Do you have a response to that?

We made it clear prior to our draft on our website and within our draft press release that teams were simply drafting WPS-playing rights to players, nothing else. We went on to highlight the fact that teams must notify clubs directly before opening any sort of negotiation. Certainly by making our results public it demonstrates interest on the part of WPS in international talent. The transparency of our draft selections was important in establishing the proper framework for working within the guidelines of FIFA and in the context of how sports leagues in the U.S. operate.

Dear Fair Game Readers,

I wanted to pass along this email that was sent to me about Cassy Rowe. She plays for the Sierra Xtreme U19 Girls and suffered a broken neck during a tournament last weekend. A that has been set up with updates on her condition. It would be great if you could take the time and leave Cassy a message of encouragement on her website.

Sent: Friday, August 22, 2008 3:43:30 PM
Subject: Cassy Rowe Sierra Xtreme U19 Girls
Fellow Coaches,

Last weekend one of my players, Cassy Rowe, broke her neck during a tournament. Since last Saturday at around 5pm, her life has been turned upside down. She has endured hours of surgery and it will be months before a definitive long term prognosis will be feasible. She currently only has use of her arms, but we are all praying that with hard work and some luck she will fully recover. She will be transferred to an inpatient rehabilitation facility once she recovers from surgery.

Much of the recovery Cassy will experience is up to how much rehabilitation she is able to endure. Keeping her spirits high is hugely important. Her family has set up a website where friends, family and well wishes can sign her guest book. In the long hours between rehab sessions she reads these messages and we know how much it means to her.

She has months of rehab ahead.

I would like to ask you to contact your team and pass along Cassy's story and ask them to visit her site and give her some encouragement.

We are not just coaches, we're Dads too. A terrible accident like this hits way to close to home.

Please do what you can to cheer up Cassy, she is a very special person.

Thank you
Dick Gordon
Sierra Xtreme

I don’t know why I am surprised that the media coverage surrounding the U.S. Women’s National Team’s Gold Medal win over Brazil in soccer is predominantly focused on Hope Solo, but I am. Scores of articles have found their way through cyberspace to my laptop in the last 24 hours and they all seem to be about Solo.

Solo had a good tournament and a great match against Brazil, but to pretend that this was a “solo” effort does a great disservice to the team and the reality of this tournament.

This Olympic Gold Medal was not about one player or even two or three. They never are, but this campaign especially had team written all over it from the beginning.

This Gold Medal was about a team willing to embrace change and play things differently than before even when they were pushed out of their comfort zone.

It was about a team that was dealt a string of injuries leading up to the games including the potential knock out blow of losing their go to girl just days before boarding the plane to Beijing.

It was about 18 players that overcame a disastrous start, a whole lot of doubt, and even some smack talk.

This Gold Medal is about seven U.S. players finding the back of the net.

It is about a veteran player who has been around a long time, but never really in a position to make an impact in a big game, a player who heard the critics question her presence in the lineup replacing an injured star and leading her team in scoring.

It was about young players having the opportunity to contribute because they had a coach and a team that believed in them.

It was about a charismatic forward who found herself on the bench once again, embracing her role and carrying the team out of the quarterfinals with her overtime goal.

This Gold Medal was about a right back who had two World Cups end in injury before they began, finally having a chance to prove to the world that she is more than a pretty face.

It was about a midfielder benched halfway through the World Cup blasting in the game winner not once, but twice.

It was about two players that were sent home and got a second chance to do their part after their teammates were injured.

It was about a coach with a contagious passion for soccer showing them a new way and teaching them to be brave.

This Gold Medal was about a trio of Tar Heels leading the way with their tenacity and work ethic.

It was about a couple of soccer moms charged with leading this team out of it’s darkest days and managing to orchestrate a brilliant defensive effort against the favored Brazilians.

This Gold Medal belongs to a back up goalie that didn’t see a minute of action during the Olympic games, but was a constant presence pushing Solo to be her best.

It was about players on the bench contributing when they were called upon, sitting when they’d rather be playing, and cheering on their team through every frantic second.

And yes, this Gold Medal belongs to a goalie that had something to prove. She did and I’m sure she would be the first to tell you that she wasn’t out there alone.

Congratulations to the 18, to the coaching staff, to the wounded, and the players who came in and out of camp this year and pushed this team to Gold. It’s your Medal too.

Authors note - Since I was being all creative and didn't mention the players by name, there is a free Dare to Dream video for the first poster who "fills in the blanks" . List the players I refer to in order in the comments section along with a contact email and we'll be in touch to find out how to get you your DVD.

Photo by Brad Smith/isiphotos.com

The latest in our series of middle of the night interviews from China comes from Carli Lloyd.

Give us the low down on the tournament, starting with the rocky start against Norway through the semi-final win against Japan.

It’s been a very, very interesting year, especially losing some key players earlier in the year, Cat and Leslie, and then Abby. Our first game against Norway was our first without her. We didn’t know how it was going to be. We’d never played without her. We had to figure some things out.

I think it was actually a perfect start for us, going down two nothing and we just kept fighting, kept fighting and we’ve been getting better each minute we’re playing. We’re playing some great soccer and it’s awesome.

Compare this experience to your first big event with the full team, the 2007 Women’s World Cup.

You always have in your head, how you think things are going to turn out and that’s not necessarily how they end up turning out. Unfortunately it was a disappointing event for the team. For me personally, I started the first three games and didn’t the last three games, so it was tough. It was tough for everybody else, the way things ended.

This year, what Pia’s done with this team is indescribable. She’s brought us together. I’ve never felt as close to the team as I have this year.

What do you think about the match up with Brazil? Are you ready?

I think we are. We’re playing some great soccer. A lot of the media and people are doubting us, but that’s okay. We’re enjoying being the underdog this year. People should really watch closely. We don’t have one superstar on our team. We’re all getting our job done, even people on the bench. We’re finally turning over a new leaf and playing really quality football and that’s exciting. I think if we just worry about ourselves and don’t get caught up in “Oh, we’re playing Brazil,” then we’ll be all right.

Does the negative press bug you?

There are always going to people who say you were lucky even when you beat a team four to one, but that’s just life and it happens everywhere. It really fired some of us up like reading some of the quotes from Japan prior to the game. I think it really fired a lot of people up.

What has it been like hanging out in the Olympic Village?

It’s been unbelievable. This is my first Olympics. It’s all that you can imagine. We haven’t really gone to any events. We were focusing on the match yesterday, but today I’m just going to get out and experience it a little bit. It’s just so cool. It’s really hard to explain, but there are just tons of athletes, there’s a huge cafeteria, apartments… It’s just really, really cool.

Have you met anyone that you were really excited to meet?

Ronaldinho. I wanted to meet Messi, but that didn’t work, out. I got to meet James Blake and one of the gymnasts, Shawn Johnson. It’s been cool.

Photo by Brad Smith/isiphotos.com

I had the opportunity to speak with the breakout star of these Olympics, Angela Hucles, very early this morning (for me) while she was munching on McDonalds' french fries in the Olympic Village. I also spoke with Carli Lloyd, but you will have to wait until tomorrow for that one as it is almost 3 am and I can not be trusted to transcribe another interview without some sleep!

How does it feel being the United State’s leading scorer going into the Gold Medal match of the Olympics?

It feels great. I’ve been in a position where I can score some goals. Obviously that’s part of my responsibility as a forward and I’m just happy I can contribute in that way.

Which of your four Olympic goals is most memorable?

Having an Olympic goal is pretty incredible in and of itself. Coming from not scoring a whole lot to scoring in the Olympics … I like all of them.

You’ve been around for along time. You’ve made two World Cup teams, but didn’t get the opportunity to play. You won an Olympic Gold Medal in 2004, but saw limited minutes as a sub. Here we are in 2008, going into the Gold Medal match and you’ve played every minute and are the team’s leading scorer. Talk about that journey.

It’s been a journey, for sure. It’s been nice for me to be able to see both sides, all aspects of playing different roles for the team, coming off the bench, being a sub, maybe not playing and just rooting my teammates on. Obviously, it hasn’t all been easy but being able to actually play in the Olympics is something that I’ve always wanted to do. Part of that I have control over and part I don’t. For me to be able to compete in an Olympic game is an honor.

I’m just excited. We’re getting better in every single game that we’re playing. I think there have been some skeptics out there and it’s nice to win. Being in a Gold Medal game is only going to help the program and help get more soccer fans for our country and all over

For you personally, having been in the mix, but more on the fringe, did you see this coming for you?

Definitely not at all. I think what has helped me is that I’ve always had certain goals in mind for myself. I’ve tried to do the right things regardless of the situation. Fortunately, I’ve had Pia’s support this year with playing. It’s very helpful to have that kind of support from your head coach, I just tried to do the things I could do on my end to put myself in a position whenever I had that opportunity and that chance, I was going to be ready for it.

Talk about the tournament. The team got off to a rough start against Norway but has really been building and getting better each match.

Maybe that first game was the best thing that could have happened to us. It was a situation where we had enough time to rebound from the loss and put ourselves on the right track. I think we were able to learn a lot from that game as well as the other games and continue to build on how we’ve been playing. We’ve just been getting stronger throughout it and building more confidence and getting comfortable, all of us playing in a slightly different formation with different personnel. We’re continuing to get better and better and we’re peaking at the right time. We’re coming together at the right time instead of being burned out and losing it at the end. Even thought it was a rough start, it was probably the best thing that could have happened to us.

What are your thoughts on Brazil and the Gold Medal match on Thursday?

We’re excited. I’m personally excited. We expect a really tough, tough game, but I think we’re all prepared for that. We’re focusing on ourselves and what we can do well. When we do that, we have fun out there and that’s when we really play well.

After touring around China for the first four matches, you finally made it to the Olympic Village. What has that been like?

It’s great. I’m having my McDonalds right now. For me, one of the greatest parts of being part of the Olympics is you get to see so many different athletes from different countries. I love seeing the diversity around here and the different clothing and just being a part of the Olympic experience. We have different USA athletes coming up to us and out to the games and supporting us and we’re doing the same for them. That’s something that is very inspirational when you’re in an event like this.

* Image by Brad Smith/isiphotos.com

The player’s aren’t the only ones exhausted after a grueling 2-1-overtime victory for the United States over Canada in their Olympic Quarterfinal. Those of us who saw it through from the 6:00 am kickoff, the weather delay, full time and two overtimes, four plus hours worth in all, deserve at least a nap. That includes U.S. coach, Pia Sundhage.

“I feel like I am a player. I am exhausted and happy,” she said.

The match started on time in a heavy downpour reminiscent of the United State’s World Cup match against Nigeria in the middle of Typhoon Wipha. The match was halted in the 21st minute due to lightening, but not before Angela Hucles got the U.S. on the board in the 12th minute.

The break was fortuitous for the Canadians. The U.S. clearly had them on their heels and were playing some of the best soccer we’ve seen from them all tournament. The 139-minute stoppage killed the American’s momentum and allowed Canada time to regroup after a shaky start.

Canada didn’t waste any time after the match resumed. Christine Sinclair capitalized on a casual U.S. throw in, launching a rocket past an outstretched Hope Solo in the 30th minute.

Canada’s coach, Even Pellerud was forced to make an early sub, replacing goalkeeper Erin McLeod with Karina LeBlanc after McLeod was injured attempting to defend Hucles’ goal. LeBlanc played an outstanding match and kept Canada in it into the first overtime when Natasha Kai connected with a beautiful ball from Shannon Boxx for the game-winning header in the 102nd minute.

In what in hindsight appears to be a brilliant move, Sundhage waited until the beginning of the first overtime to sub Kai in for Amy Rodriguez. A fresh Kai was able to run circles around a clearly gassed Canadian side.

“I thought we did well at forward with A-Rod because of her speed and with Angela Hucles,” explained Sundhage. “We switched Carli Lloyd to a more attacking role in hopes that she would get some more shots. With all due respect for Canada, which is a good team, we were thinking about extra time and that 30 minutes. We got 30 minutes out of Tash so I thought that was good timing.”

The U.S. could have managed the waning minutes better. Instead of settling for possession and killing time, they pressed for a third goal, which made the last few minutes a bit nerve wracking for the fans.

The match marked an outstanding effort by U.S. midfielder Shannon Boxx, who was justly named Sierra Mist Player of the Match. Boxx also happened to be celebrating her 100th cap. Lori Chalupny was dangerous and never gave up on any ball despite taking quite a beating from Kara Lang and company. Christie Rampone and Kate Markgraf held the U.S. backline together well to contain Canada. Really, the match was a great team effort.

The U.S. enters their semi-final with Japan spreading the goals around. Angela Hucles is the leading scorer with two.

“The cool thing about this Olympics so far is that we’ve had so many different goal scorers,” said Heather O’Reilly after the match. “I think that is what’s making us special right now. We’ve had six different goal scorers for seven goals, so that’s a pretty cool stat and that’s what’s making us so unpredictable.”

The U.S. has managed this tournament well, getting better every match, a trend they hope continues through to the gold medal.

* Photo of U.S. goal scorer, Angela Hucles, by Brad Smith/isiphotos.com