A Medal For Matheson

So as emotional swings go, there can't be too many teams that have ever gone through what the Canadian women's soccer team just did in a three-day span.

Here were the Canadians on Monday, completely destroyed, almost unable to walk off the field after their 4-3 loss to the United States in the Olympic semifinals.

And here they were today, achieving a high that none of them had ever experienced before, all courtesy of a goal by Princeton alum Diana Matheson, this time just seconds before the end of stoppage time in regulation, as Canada defeated France 1-0. Matheson's goal came after Canada was outshot 28-4 in the game.

What a swing it was for the Canadians. Remember back to Monday, after the end of the semifinal against the Americans, in what was one of the greatest sporting events ever played?

The Canadians were physically and emotionally spent, and why wouldn't they be? They had just gone toe-to-toe with their biggest rival for more than 120 minutes, only to have Alex Morgan break their collective hearts with her header just seconds before the game would have gone to penalty kicks.

The Canadians had come so close against the Americans. They had the lead three times, only to give it back on each occasion.

The first American goal was a misplay off a corner kick. The third goal was after two controversial calls - one an almost-never-called delay against the goalkeeper and the second an iffy hand ball on the resulting indirect kick from inside the box - that resulted in a PK.

And then there was the game-winner, just seconds before the whistle.

As TigerBlog has said all week, the semifinal is a brutal round in the Olympics. Win and you're guaranteed a medal. Lose, and you have to come right back for the bronze medal game, where a loss means you come away completely empty.

For Canada, a country whose last medal in a team sport at the Summer Games was in basketball in 1936 and who had never won a medal in women's soccer, a loss in the bronze medal game would have been twice as crushing, considering just how close the team had been to beating the Americans.

For three days, the Canadians had to listen to and read all about what an epic game it had been, knowing that they had come so close to winning.

Making it worse was the fact that it came against the Americans, their biggest rival, a team that the Canadians have to be completely sick of hearing about.

And now they had to pump it back up, and quickly, in order to get a medal at all.

If you watched the game, you saw that Canada was clearly a tired team, physically, it turned out, more than mentally.

Canada could barely move in the second half, when France had chance after chance, hitting the post, the crossbar, just missing out on open looks. At one point, one of the Canadian defenders had to save a ball off the line.

Under the constant pressure, it certainly had the feel that the French were about to score, but they never did.

Instead, it was Canada that was able to counter, and it was Matheson who was the hero, as she pounced on a loose ball and drove it into the French net when the keeper was out of position.

There was still enough time after that for the French to get the ball into Canada's box and almost, almost, got a PK out of a collision, which would have been about the most heartbreaking moment any team ever had to deal with, had Canada come that close and then not won.

And then it was over, and Canada had earned a bronze medal. To the team, it had to feel as good as a gold.

The elation on the part of the team, and Matheson, screamed out from the television screen - or in TB's case, his laptop.

TB can't remember a time he felt better for a team and for an individual athlete.

Matheson balanced playing an international schedule with the Canadian team while playing for Princeton during her undergraduate days, a time that included a trip to the NCAA Final Four and a first-team All-America selection.

She's a remarkable athlete, Matheson, in that she routinely gives away a foot or more and who knows how many pounds to her competition, and yet she is able to be one of the best players on a team that just won an Olympic bronze medal. Her skill with the ball is amazing, and her fitness enables her to keep going at full speed long after most players have slowed down; both of these were on clear display in the semifinal and bronze medal games.

The goal was her first in her Olympic career, which spans the last two Games. She also has played in the World Cup for her country.

Her Olympic goal couldn't have come at a better time, and it was a Hollywood ending to the Princeton participation in these Games, where the Tigers have won seven medals.

Canada wins? A Princeton alum scores? Who could write such a script?

TB watched as Matheson beamed after the game, after she hugged her teammates, after she held out the "Canada" part of her jersey. He's seen several pictures online, including one where she is holding her country's flag.

These Olympics are almost over. The athletes who gathered in London from 204 countries will now go home, the overwhelming majority of them without medals.

The women of the Canadian soccer team will bring medals home with them. They won't be gold, of course, but they'll be cherished as much as any medals won at these Games.

After what the team went through this week, of course they will be.

And it was Diana Matheson who made it happen.