UCLA will return to the Women's College Cup for the first time since 2013 thanks to a 3-1 victory over Princeton in Saturday's quarterfinals.
Women's College Cup, Semifinals:
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1 Stanford vs. South Carolina, 5 pm ET, ESPNU
UCLA vs. Duke, 7:30 pm ET, ESPNU
The Bruins, who will be making their 10th appearance in the final four, got two goals from
Hailie Mace and freshman
Olivia Athens' first collegiate goal.
"It feels
awesome to be back in the College Cup," said
Amanda Cromwell, who coached the Bruins to their first national championship in 2013. "We work so hard and have been through a lot. I'm just
really proud of our team effort, the total commitment, and the fact that it's in Orlando, where I coached for 14 years at Central Florida, is really special."
Some great passing
set up Mace and Athens for goals a little more than two minutes apart early in the first half. The Bruins dominated Princeton in the first half with a 13-1 edge in shots, but the Tigers got back in
the game in the 55th minute when
Abby Givens scored her 12th goal of the year.
Six minutes late, sub
Delanie Sheehan sprung Mace with a long ball. The forward then lobbed Princeton goalkeeper
Natalie Grossi from over 20 yards out into the empty net for her 15th goal of the season.
Nov. 25 in Los
Angeles
UCLA 4 Princeton 1. Goals: Mace (Cerda, Sanchez) 16, Athens (A.Rodriguez, Goralski) 18, Givens (O'Brien, Sheehan) 55, Mace (Villacorta) 61.
UCLA --
Micah, McCullough, K.Rodriguez, Cerda, Goralski, A.Rodriguez, Villacorta, Athens, Fleming, Mace, Sanchez. Subs: Matulich, Hernandez, Dunphy, Sheehan.
Princeton -- Grossi, Pratt-Thompson,
Symanovich, Gee, Rickerson, Gregoire, Sheppard, Azermadhi, Asom, Larkin, Givens. Subs: Kennedy, Stella, McDonough, O'Brien, Hewins, Hillard-Arce.
Att.: 2,913.