No. 2-seeded UCLA women’s soccer advances past UNC to Final Four

There’s going to be a different NCAA women’s soccer champion this year.

For the first time in the 2013 NCAA Tournament, UCLA’s women’s soccer team had to claim a victory outside of Drake Stadium, and in the process, knocked out the defending champion, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tar Heels.

It was an intimidating battleground. The game was played on Fetzer Field, home of UNC and its 21 NCAA women’s soccer national championship banners – including one for last year.

It took double overtime to finally create separation between the two teams, but the Bruins took the contest 1-0, redeeming their loss to the Tar Heels earlier in the season.

“That’s our one loss, and we didn’t play well – UNC took it to us,” said UCLA coach Amanda Cromwell. “I think we came out and showed how much better we got through the season, and it was a great battle.”

No. 2-seeded UCLA (21-1-2) had a shaky start in the matchup against top-seeded UNC (20-5-0); UNC’s high-pressure style of play made UCLA resort to ineffective long-ball clearances to alleviate that pressure. The Tar Heels took advantage of the situation, outshooting the Bruins 7-3 in the first half.

After halftime, the Bruins seemed to regain their footing, and the team reverted to their more familiar system of short passes that had picked apart opponents in the past.

“I think it was a good thing that we played them early in the season. Their high pressure is very effective, but I think this time we were ready for it, more prepared for it, and we have been practicing throughout the week,” said junior defender Caprice Dydasco.

After 102 minutes of action, the Bruins finally emerged victorious against the Tar Heels and made sure that this year’s College Cup wouldn’t be an all-Atlantic Coast Conference affair.

Junior midfielder Sarah Killion launched a long through pass to orchestrate a one-on-one situation for sophomore forward Taylor Smith and UNC goalkeeper Anna Sieloff, which proved to be the difference-maker on Saturday.

Sieloff earned her seventh save of the night after stopping Smith’s placed shot towards the far post, but the goalie was unable to get an eighth, as Smith slotted in the rebound and scored the golden goal to send the Bruins to the College Cup.

“I saw Sarah look up at me, and we made eye contact. And she just played a great ball through,” said Smith, who finished the game with four shots on goal. “I had so many chances during the game, I just knew I was going to finish this one.”

UCLA completes the field of four that will compete for College Cup in Cary, N.C., joining ACC teams Virginia Tech, Florida State and Cromwell’s alma mater, Virginia.

But the road to 110 has not been easy for the Bruins, something that Cromwell says has already given the team a sense of achievement.

“When I looked at (the bracket) I was like, ‘Wow, we have to beat the last two national champions just to reach the Final Four,’” Cromwell said. “We feel like we’ve accomplished something, and we haven’t even gotten to the Final Four yet.”