Thursday’s Olympics News Roundup

The U.S. women’s soccer team won the gold medal, beating Brazil 1-0 in extra time. Carli Lloyd scored the winning goal, driving a left-footed shot past Brazilian goalkeeper Barbara early in the first extra time. "It's not the Miracle on Ice, nor the 1950 World Cup win over England, nor even the 1991 U.S. triumph in the debut Women's World Cup," writes USA Today. "But what a scrappy U.S. women's soccer team accomplished here Thursday will go down in as one of the greatest and most improbable wins by a U.S. team."

The U.S. softball team lost 3-1 to Japan in the gold medal final. Japan pitcher Yukiko Ueno pitched a complete game—after pitching 21 innings in two games yesterday—to give Japan the shocking victory. The U.S. had won all three gold medals in Olympic softball history, and had a 22-game winning streak heading into the game.

Danielle de Bruijn scored with just 26 seconds left in the women’s water polo team final, leading the Dutch a 9-8 victory over the Americans. This is the third straight Olympics in which the U.S. women’s team has lost in the final minute of an elimination game.

In a stunning match that went on despite heavy rain, the American team of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh defeated China in straight sets to win their second consecutive Olympic gold medal, continuing their streak of 108 consecutive wins, including 14 Olympic match wins in a row—an Olympic first. In an emotional display after the win, May-Treanor was captured on camera sprinkling her mother’s ashes on the sandy Beijing court.

The U.S. women’s basketball team will play for the gold medal after beating Russia 67-52. Russia’s American point guard, Becky Hammon, was held to just three points and one assist. They will play Australia in the final after they blew out China 90-56.

The men's and women's semifinals and finals of motocross were cancelled due to heavy rain on Thursday in Beijing. Organizers have put both contests, including the inaugural gold-medal events, on hold until Friday, when it is expected to be sunny. View photos of the washed out track, and of officials trying desperately to clean things up Thursday at the Laoshan Bicycle Moto Cross venue, courtesy of KHABAR BIKE (Cycling News).

The U.S. women’s volleyball team heads to the gold medal game on Saturday after trouncing Cuba in three sets in the semifinals. The semifinal win guarantees the best Olympic finish for an American women's volleyball team since 1984. The U.S. faces the winner of tonight's match-up between China and Brazil.

U.S. wrestling captain Daniel Cormier was forced to withdraw from competition due to severe dehydration resulting from weight-cutting. The Lafayette, La., native and former Oklahoma State athlete was to compete at 211.5 pounds, but has been admitted to a Beijing hospital to address kidney concerns.

Both the U.S. men’s and women’s 400-meter relay teams dropped the baton in qualifying heats and did not qualify for the finals. “I went to grab it and there was nothing,” said Tyson Gay. “It’s kind of the way it’s been happening to me this Olympics.”

Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown won the women’s 200-meters for the second straight Olympics, as American favorite Allyson Felix settled for the silver. Campbell-Brown completes a Jamaican sweep of the women’s 100, 200 and 400-meters.

American LaShawn Merrit upset Jeremy Wariner in the men’s 400 meters, beating the defending champion by nearly a full second. David Neville finished third, completing a sweep for the United States.

Cuba’s Dayron Robles won the men’s 110-meter hurdles, beating Americans David Payne and David Oliver. Notably absent from the race was Chinese hero Liu Xiang, who withdrew due to injury.