At about midway through the first half in the NCAA women’s soccer quarterfinal between UCLA and Duke, a Duke fan pacing back and forth between the bleachers muttered to herself.
“It’s like dodging bullets out there,” she said.
And that was after UCLA’s second goal.
The Bruins (22-0-2) fired shot after shot at the Blue Devils (15-6-3) Saturday night at Drake Stadium, racking up six goals in a decisive 6-1 victory that gives UCLA plenty of momentum heading into their sixth straight College Cup.
Much like his fan base, Duke coach Robbie Church looked overwhelmed after the game.
“It seemed like every decision we made was the wrong decision,” Church said. “It goes back to UCLA’s experience. … They’ve been to so many, I wouldn’t bet against them this weekend in Cary (North Carolina).
“We’ve seen a lot of teams that have been in Cary, and they are as impressive as anybody I’ve ever coached against.”
UCLA coach Jill Ellis was equally impressed.
“It was a great performance,” she said. “I thought we possessed the ball very well. We were multifaceted in our attack. … Every line tonight did its job, and we did very well.”
The win punches UCLA’s ticket to Cary, N.C., where they will come up against a series of perennial powers.
The Bruins will take on North Carolina on Friday in what will essentially be a home game for the Tar Heels.
Although the Bruins will be going to their sixth straight Final Four, UCLA has been sent home early each time, twice by UNC.
But this last Bruin win was particularly remarkable. The six goals UCLA scored were the second most of the season, suggesting that the Bruins are peaking at the opportune time.
“I think it was definitely a breakthrough to walk into the Final Four off a good win,” senior midfielder McCall Zerboni said. “We had a lot of confidence, so it was good for us tonight.”
Added junior forward Kristina Larsen, “We’re just going to take this momentum and bring it to the Final Four. We’re all pumped up.”
UCLA’s second goal, the game-winner, encapsulated the Bruins arsenal-like offensive attack. In the 15th through 18th minutes alone, the Bruins ratcheted off five shots on goal in response to the Blue Devils’ goal at the 14:17 mark.
UCLA generated two set play opportunities off corner kicks, fired a strike at the net, then had a fourth opportunity off a corner turned away at the last moment by a well-placed defender near the goal line.
But after four-straight near misses, UCLA’s persistence finally paid off when junior defender Lauren Wilmoth lined up for her fourth corner kick in as many minutes.
She sent the ball lofting into the box, perfectly placed for junior forward Lauren Cheney who was waiting to head it into the top right corner of the net.
The Bruins would tack on another goal at the 43:50 mark that Church called “a backbreaker” that opened the flood gates.
Pac-10 Player of the Year, senior midfielder Christina DiMartino scored another breathtaking goal, a strike from 30 yards out, that bent its way to the upper left corner of the net, past a stretching Duke keeper.
UCLA added two more goals from Larsen in the second half, and one from sophomore Dana Wall, her first of the year.
Including the first goal of the contest scored by Zerboni, UCLA had five different players score throughout the night and all in different ways.
Some goals like Cheney’s came off set plays, some from individual efforts like DiMartino’s, and some simply from scrappy team play.
“I definitely think that’s been us all season,” Cheney said. “It hasn’t been one superstar. I think that’s what makes us special. That’s what makes this UCLA team different than any other one. Everyone out there can do their part and they do it well.”
Duke’s lone goal came off a cross deep in UCLA territory. As the ball moved right toward the box, senior goalkeeper Ashley Thompson slid right, but Duke junior forward KayAnne Gummersall headed it in.
Ellis credited the goal to a “series of breakdowns,” and Zerboni said the team that prides itself on defense was upset that they let one through.
But with the exception of that score, UCLA looked brilliant. That said, this team is far from finished.
“This is a great opportunity,” Ellis said. “This team has done a fantastic job this season, but we’re not done.”