Associated Press
CARY ó Casey Nogueira starred once again on the biggest stage in NCAA women’s soccer.
North Carolina’s junior forward provided the heroics in the championship game of the Women’s College Cup for the second time in three years, scoring two second-half goals to lead the Tar Heels to a 2-1 victory over Notre Dame on Sunday.
“It just means so much to me to win it again and win it for the seniors,” said Nogueira, who was named the tournament’s most outstanding offensive player. “I haven’t seen our team work this hard. We wanted it so bad today.”
The Heels (25-1-2) denied the Fighting Irish’s bid for their first unbeaten season. Nogueira, who had a goal and an assist in UNC’s 2-1 victory over Notre Dame in the 2006 championship game, scored the winner Sunday with 2:06 remaining. She dribbled to the flank just inside the left side of the box and lofted a left-footed shot over the head of Notre Dame goalkeeper Kelsey Lysander and into the right side of the net.
Nogueira’s first goal was a right-footed blast on a free kick that tied the score in the 52nd minute.