Carolina and Washington, which followed different paths to prominence after sharing the WUSA's worst record in the inaugural season, will meet next week for the women's league's second championship after scoring dramatic semifinal victories on Saturday.

The Courage converted an 89th-minute penalty kick to force overtime, then got an empty-net golden goal from Carla Overbeck 1:11 into the extra period to overcome the visiting Atlanta Beat, 2-1. The game — played before 5,583 at SAS Stadium — was halted for 30 minutes in the first half, immediately following Atlanta's 28th-minute goal, because of nearby lightning strikes.

Washington used an 80th-minute Monica Gerardo goal to topple host Philadelphia, 1-0, and extend its unbeaten tear to 10 games and winning streak to five. The match was played in high heat — 120 degrees on the field — before 6,547 at Villanova Stadium.

The Courage and Freedom will face off in Founders Cup II next Saturday at Herndon Stadium in Atlanta.

''For these two teams to go to the Founders Cup after a not-so-good year last year is just a credit to the whole organization,'' said Overbeck, the former U.S. national team captain whose playing time this season has been severely limited by a longstanding knee injury. ''It's definitely special. We've been working hard all year. … I'm glad we're going to the Founders Cup championship.''

Carolina, a force all season after Coach Marcia McDermott's offseason rebuilding effort, dominated huge stretches of its match and spent the final half-hour trying to find a way through the bunker defense the Beat constructed after Julie Augustyniak was ejected in the 57th minute following her second yellow card.

Nikki Serlenga's penalty kick in the 28th minute, after Danielle Fotopoulos pushed Cindy Parlow on a corner kick, looked to be all the Beat required. Carolina created far more chances — it outshot the Beat, 21-6 — but the posts got in the way of its best opportunities. Hege Riise found the left post just six minutes in, and Nel Fettig struck the right post with a powerful shot 10 minutes into the second half.

Riise, around whom the Courage's explosive attack revolves, was pivotal in forcing overtime, earning a PK in the waning moments from a battle with Marci Miller on the edge of the Beat penalty area at the end line left of the goal.

Danielle Fotopoulos drilled the spot kick past Atlanta goalkeeper Briana Scurry to tie the score, and the Courage needed little extra time to finish off the Beat, which was four minutes from the WUSA title last season (losing its lead, then the championship — on penalty kicks to Bay Area) and was the overwhelming preseason favorite this year.

A little more than a minute into overtime, Birgit Prinz — fed from a Fotopoulos volley — beat Nancy Augustyniak on a run into the Beat box, but her shot was parried to the left by a diving Scurry. The rebound fell to Overbeck, who had followed the play from the left, and she just had to redirect it into the goal.

''I think we just kept fighting,'' Fotopoulos said. ''We kept wanting it more than they did and came up with the win. But I can tell you that when the whistle blew, I was in tears.''

FREEDOM DEFENSE: Washington used superb defense, especially by marking back Carrie Moore and goalkeeper Siri Mullinix, and Gerardo's late goal to grab a title-game spot few considered within reach when the Freedom was 2-4-3 in early June.

Mia Hamm, whose dynamic play off the bench has sparked the club to a 10-1-3 mark since then, again energized Washington's attack when she came on at halftime, but Coach Jim Gabarra's other substitutions proved more profitable.

Wonderful individual work under pressure by Jacqui Little, who came on for Bai Jie in the 66th minute, created the goal for Gerardo, who replaced surprise starter Ann Cook in the 59th minute.

''We know that coming in we have 30-35 minutes to make an impact,'' said Gerardo, a Californian who stars for Mexico's national team. ''I think we both did that today.''

Philadelphia goalkeeper Melissa Moore punched out a corner kick collected near the top of the box by Pu Wei, who chipped the ball Little just to the right of the net. Little fended off defenders Jenny Benson and Erica Iverson, taking the ball to the end line, then turned and found a seam to reach Gerardo, whose first-time strike from 7 yards beat a sprawling Moore.

Little and Cook, who returned to the Freedom lineup less than two weeks after undergoing meniscus surgery, were WUSA champions last year with the Bay Area CyberRays. So was Carolina's Venus James.

Carrie Moore's marking stymied Charge striker Marinette Pichon and Mullinix came up big several times as the Freedom absorbed Philly's heavy pressure much of the match. Mandy Clemens, attacking from midfield, and Benson sparked the attack for the Charge, which was unable to make anything of 10 corner kicks.

Philadelphia's early dominance led to chances that yielded little, but Washington twice hit the crossbar in the first 33 minutes. Steffi Jones' shot from 26 yards kissed the top of the bar in the 11th minute, and Ann Cook — a surprise starter, less than two weeks after meniscus surgery — struck the bar with a well-taken blast 22 minutes later.

SATURDAY'S SEMIFINAL SUMMARIES

Aug. 17 at Villanova, Pa.

Philadelphia 0 Washington 1. Goal: Gerardo (J. Little, Pu) 80.

Philadelphia — M. Moore; Mitts, Iverson, J. Tietjen (Monroe, 88), Benson; Fair, Connors (Tullock, 66), Clemens, Liu, Zhao; Pichon.

Washington — Mullinix; S. Little, C. Moore, Grubb, Barr; Cook (Gerardo, 59), Jones, Makinen (Hamm, 46), Pu; Bai (J. Little, 66), Wambach.

Yellow cards — Washington: Wambach 52, Gerardo 82; Zhao 60.

Referee — Sandra Hunt. A — 6,547.

Aug. 17 at Cary, N.C.

Carolina 2 Atlanta 1 (OT). Goals: Fotopoulos pen. 89, Overbeck (Prinz, Fotopoulos) 92; Serlenga pen. 28.

Carolina — Luckenbill; S. Burt, Fettig, Baxter, O'Hanley (Slaton, 410; T. Roberts, James (Overbeck, 73), Riise, Lehn; Fotopoulos, Prinz.

Atlanta — Scurry; Krzykowski, N. Augustyniak, Nonen, J. Augustyniak; Serlenga, Bivens, Wang (Cagle, 53), Sawa (E. Burt, 87), Parlow; Hooper (Miller, 80).

Yellow cards — Philadelphia: Lehn 68. Atlanta: J. Augustyniak 31, 57, Bivens 38, Hooper 65.

Red card — Atlanta: J. Augustyniak 57.

Referee — Misail Tsapos. A — 5,583.

WUSA FOUNDERS CUP II
Aug. 24 at Atlanta Carolina vs. Washington, 4 p.m. EDT (PAX TV).

PLAYOFF SCORING LEADERS
(G-A–Pts)
1. Danielle Fotopoulos (Carolina) 1-1–3
2. Monica Gerardo (Washington) 1-0–2
Carla Overbeck (Carolina) 1-0–2
Nikki Serlenga (Atlanta) 1-0–2
5. Jacqui Little (Washington) 0-1–1
Birgit Prinz (Carolina) 0-1–1
Pu Wei (Washington) 0-1–1