CARY - She's still only 17 years old, so Casey Nogueira can be forgiven for her frequent giggling and persistent use of the word "awesome" as she sat at the podium after North Carolina won the NCAA soccer championship.

Nogueira graduated a year early from Broughton High to play for the Tar Heels, and she started for just the first time Sunday on the biggest possible stage.

She responded by delivering a brilliant pass to set up UNC's first goal and heading home the eventual winner. Even if she didn't look like a veteran at the press conference, Nogueira looked like one on the field.

"To have a kid that young to have an impact at this high a level is just a fabulous achievement," coach Anson Dorrance said.

"[It] has just been fun to watch her become the player she is right now. This weekend for her was just off the charts."

In the 18th minute, Nogueira was bottled up on the right sideline, with her back to the goal. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted senior forward Heather O'Reilly blazing diagonally across the field.

The freshman turned and fired a perfect ball to O'Reilly, who split two defenders, juked the goalkeeper and knocked in the game's first goal.

"I think there was a player behind me, and I just turned it," Nogueira said. "I saw Heather running across, so I just played it to her and she did the rest."

Less than two minutes into the second half, Nogueira struck again with a header into the left side of the net to give UNC a 2-0 lead.

Add that to her performance in Friday's semifinal -- when she scored the first goal of the Heels' 2-0 win with a slicing rocket from 30 yards out -- and it was enough to earn Nogueira a spot on the all-tournament team.

It also put her in exclusive company. The only UNC player ever to start the only game of her freshman year in the national final was Catherine Reddick in 2000.

Nogueira's father, Victor, attended both College Cup games -- the only two NCAA Tournament matches he saw. Dorrance said he wished Victor would come out more often.

"We're going to check the NCAA regulations, we're going to see if we can fly him in for every game for the rest of her career," Dorrance said. "Because she was absolutely brilliant."

CRAZY CROWD: Of the 8,349 fans that packed into SAS Soccer Park on Sunday, a healthy majority was sporting Carolina blue.

Having the hometown Heels in the final aided in bringing in the largest crowd the stadium ever has had without installing extra temporary seating.

The turnout pleased stadium officials -- who will host the men's College Cup next year.

"Having a local team here that was able to bring their band and a lot of their students really brings a great atmosphere," N.C. State marketing director Chris Alston said.

CELEBRITY SIGHTINGS: UNC soccer legend Mia Hamm and her husband, Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Nomar Garciaparra, took in the game.

Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt was in attendance before her team's game against UNC on Sunday night. She listened in on Dorrance's pregame speech.