One former UNC player provided a key assist in the Olympic semi-finals while another former UNC player provided a key assist in the Gold Medal game against Japan.

But it was Carli Lloyd, who kicked the winning goal for the United States the last time the Americans competed for the Olympic Gold Medal in 2008, that scored two goals and goalie Hope Solo who made several key saves as the U.S. women’s soccer team defeated Japan 2-1 to earn the Gold Medal.

The win was redemption for the American squad who blew a big lead and lost to the Japanese in the last year’s World Cup.

UNC’s Tobin Heath was involved in the Americans first goal while UNC’s Heather O’Reilly, who didn’t play in the Gold Medal game, nonetheless won her third Gold Medal. O.Reilly was a key to the U.S.’s semi-final win over Canada when she assisted the winning goal. Had it not been for O’Reilly, there may not have been a Gold Medal game. “That was a special game and a special moment (against Canada),” said former U.S. and UNC soccer star Kristine Lilly. “Alex Morgan’s header was great but I think Heather O’Reilly’s ball (to her) was incredible.”

UNC and U.S. great Mia Hamm, who had not planned on attending the Olympics, said she was inspired by that victory over Canada and she wanted to witness the Gold Medal match in person as a fan.

She got to see a Carolina player, Heath, play prominently in the outcome against Japan. Eight minutes in, Heath drove the ball past a pair of defenders down low to Alex Morgan, who passed it cross goal to Lloyd, who charged in out of nowhere and headed into the back of the net.

A pair of saves, including an athletic effort by Solo who went up high and knocked a shot away with her left hand, kept the Japanese scoreless. Japan threatened again and got a free kick 25 minutes in. Heath got a hand on it to knock it away. Luckily, a hand ball was not called.

Heath got an opportunity to score herself late in the first half after she made a good move to get a shot off. But she was well out and didn’t have enough on it to challenge the goalkeeper. Analyst Brandi Chastain, a Gold Medalist herself, said Heath needed to show more patience and move in a little closer before taking the shot.

Japan had the momentum toward the end of the half but it didn’t extend into the second half. The USA’s Lloyd, in the 54th minute, took it from midfield all the way to the edge of the box and ripped one in on the left side to give the Americans a commanding 2-0 lead.

But Japan didn’t give up and it got close down the stretch. With less than 30 minutes to play, Japan’s Yuki Ogimi scored on a wild play. The U.S.’s Kristy Rampone, helping out a diving Solo at the net, stopped one shot but she couldn’t get it out. The ball bounced around and Ogimi poked it in just in front of the net to draw the Japanese to within a goal at 2-1.

Japan had two more big chances over the last 20 minutes. There was a wild scene in front of net with 10 women in the six-meter box during the 73rd minute but the Americans were able to pin-ball it out of trouble. With less than 10 minutes to go, Rampone had it stolen away deep in U.S. territory. Asuna Tanaka had a one-on-one situation with Solo, who hadn’t been challenged much in the Olympics before this game. A diving Solo stretched out to the left and knocked it away at the last second to preserve the lead.

The Americans held on for the victory.

Assistant Coach Robert Woodard was named the pitching coach at UNC Wilmington Tuesday, UNCW head coach Mark Scalf announced.

Woodard joins the Seahawks staff after two successful years as a member of the Tar Heels coaching staff. The Charlotte, N.C., native joined the Tar Heels prior to the 2010 postseason and has been a part of 97 wins during the span.

“This opportunity would not be possible without being on Coach Fox’s staff for the past two-plus seasons,” Woodard said. “I’d like to thank Coach Fox for giving me my start. I’m looking forward to continuing to build upon what has been established here at UNCW.”

Woodard will take over UNCW pitching coach duties from another former Tar Heel as Jason Howell joined the Georgia Tech staff. Howell spent five years with the Seahawks after serving as an assistant coach with the Tar Heels for two years.

– News release

A search for Woodard’s replacement is currently under way.

An instant classic ended in overtime when UNC’s Heather O’Reilly, a late substitution, banged a crossing pass from the right side to Alex Morgan who headed it in from eight yards out over the goalkeeper to give the United States a 4-3 victory in Olympic women’s soccer.

“I was just thinking get in the air and get a head on that,” Morgan said. “Heather is great with crosses. She is so good at getting down the end line and putting the cross in. I was just trying to get in the right position and it just so happened that I was.”

The dramatic ending starts the new drama of the U.S. team playing Japan in the Gold Medal match Thursday. The Americans fell to the Japanese last year in the World Cup in a stinging defeat for the U.S. which led and controlled that game most of the way.

No one controlled this back-and-front affair, which the Americans never led until the final goal. The U.S. had to come back three different times as Canada’s Christine Sinclair almost single-handed defeated the Americans.

First, Sinclair got between a trio of U.S. players and right footed it past a diving Hope Solo, who hadn’t been scored on in 368 minutes, to give the Canadian’s a 1-0 lead, which is where it stood at the half.

The United States and Canada have played 51 times yet this was the first time since 2003 that Canada has even led in a game. They haven’t defeated the Americans since March of 2001.

The Americans picked up the intensity in the second half. UNC’s Tobin Heath passed it into the six-yard box to Morgan but Canada knocked it away. The U.S. was able to keep possession however and earned a corner kick. Megan Rapinoe, instead of playing it to a teammate, curved the kick into the near side bottom corner of the goal in the 53rd minute.

Canada’s Sinclair came right back in the 67th minute as she headed in a passing shot from Melissa Tancredi to make it 2-1 Canada.

Heath and Morgan hooked up again in the 68th minute but the Canadian goalie saved it. Once again the Americans kept possession and kept pressing. Rapinoe blasted one that hit the left bar and rattled in to tie it at 2-2 in the 70th minute.

Just two minutes later, Sinclair turned the momentum back to the Canadians as she headed one in inside the box into the left edge of the goal on a corner play to put the Americans down by one yet again at 3-2.

It took a little luck for the U.S. to tie it. Rapinoe sliced a hard one straight away that went off the arms and hands of two different Canadian players. A handball was called, giving the Americans a one-on-one penalty shot. Abby Wambach scored on a grass burner to the bottom left of the goal to tie it at 3-3 in the 78th minute.

Heath figured prominently over the last 12 minutes of regulation. First, she stopped a scary Canadian push when she kicked it away during the 83rd minute. Then, in the 89th minute of the 90-minute regulation, Heath weakly poked a clearing kick which allowed a charging Sophie Schmidt to steal the ball. Heath recovered enough to bother Schmidt on the shot and it went just wide of the goal.

After regulation, the game went to two 15-minute overtime periods.

About 10 minutes into the first overtime, UNC’s O’Reilly came into the game for the first time. In the 116th minute, during the second overtime, O’Reilly almost ended it but she missed on a sliding attempt to get to a crossing path by Morgan in front of the goal.

With three minutes of overage time added to the end of the second overtime, it looked as if the game would go to penalty kicks, which would have been the first shootout ever in Olympic play.

But O’Reilly and Morgan’s magical play in the 123rd minute of play kept the Americans dream of a Gold Medal – and redemption against Japan – alive.