Preview: Virginia Women's Soccer Takes on UCLA in NCAA Quarterfinals
The Cavaliers had to overcome multiple second-half deficits as well as freezing weather conditions last weekend at Penn State in order to keep their season alive. With a trip to the College Cup on the line, their next match should at least have some better weather.
On Saturday at 9pm (ET), No. 3 seed Virginia (16-3-3) will take on No. 1 UCLA (19-2-1) at Wallis Annenberg Stadium in Los Angeles, California in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship. The winner will advance to the College Cup in Cary, North Carolina.
Virginia is making its 29th-consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament and 35th all-time, second-most in NCAA women's soccer history. This is UVA's ninth trip to the NCAA quarterfinals and the Cavaliers are seeking their fifth appearance in the College Cup. Virginia most recently went to the College Cup in the spring of 2021. The Cavaliers have reached the national title game only once and they are arguably the best program to have never won a national championship. In short, the Hoos are long overdue for a national title run.
To make a return trip to the College Cup, UVA will have to take down the UCLA Bruins on their home turf, a feat that has not been accomplished this season as the Bruins are 11-0-1 at home. UCLA is making its 26th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and is in search of a 12th trip to the College Cup. The Bruins are four-time national runners up and they won the 2013 NCAA National Championship.
UCLA and Virginia have met 11 times and seven of those matches have taken place in the NCAA Tournament. UCLA leads the all-time series 6-3-2, including a 5-1-1 edge against UVA in NCAAs. In the last meeting in 2017, UCLA beat Virginia 2-1 in the Round of 16.
Both teams had to endure a dramatic match on their respective journeys to the Elite Eight. UCLA beat Northern Arizona 4-1 in the first round, but then needed penalty kicks to escape UCF in the second round, before downing Northwestern 2-0 to advance to the quarterfinals. Virginia beat Fairleigh Dickinson 4-0 and Xavier 3-1 in the first and second rounds. In the third round on a freezing Sunday night at Penn State, the Cavaliers trailed 1-0 and 2-1 in the second half, but came back both times to score the equalizers to send the match into overtime. Haley Hopkins notched the game-winner in the first overtime to send UVA into the quarterfinals.
Virginia has been battle-tested playing in the ACC, which has proven to once again be the best conference in women's soccer. Of the eight remaining teams in the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship, five are members of the ACC, including the three teams that are responsible for UVA's three losses this season - Notre Dame, Florida State, and Duke. UCLA also has some experience facing the ACC this season, as the Bruins picked up back-to-back wins at Duke and North Carolina in a single weekend in early September. Virginia also took down the Blue Devils and Tar Heels on the road this season.
Both teams are very talented and well-coached. UCLA placed nine on the Pac-12 all-conference teams, including Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Lilly Reale, who was joined on the Pac-12 First Team by Reilyn Turner and Quincy McMahon. Virginia had five players earn All-ACC selections, led by Lia Godfrey, who earned First-Team All-ACC honors for the second-consecutive season.
The winner of Virginia and UCLA will face the winner of No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Duke in the semifinals of the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship.
Women's Soccer Championship Quarterfinals Schedule
11/25 at 7pm: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 2 Duke
11/26 at 5pm: No. 1 Florida State vs. No. 3 Arkansas
11/26 at 5pm: No. 1 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 North Carolina
11/26 at 9pm: No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 3 Virginia
Virginia will take on UCLA on Saturday at 9pm ET and the match will be broadcast on ESPN+.
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