LOS ANGELES – No. 1 seed UCLA secured its spot in next week’s NCAA College Cup in Cary, N.C. after a 2-1 overtime victory over No. 3 seed Virginia in the NCAA Quarterfinals. Freshman Sofia Cook scored the game-winner in the first overtime to cement UCLA’s 12th College Cup appearance and third in the last six years.
UCLA (20-2-1) struck first to take the early lead after senior Sunshine Fontes and sophomore Lexi Wright executed a perfect give-and-go in the 15th minute, culminating in Fontes’ team-leading 11th goal of the season. Ten minutes later, Wright nearly scored a goal of her own, knocking a shot into the back of the net, but the goal was disallowed due to an offside call.
It might be dark out, but it’s always sunny on Wallis Annenberg Stadium! ? @sunshinefontes scores her team-leading 11th goal of the season to give UCLA a 1-0 lead in the 15th minute!
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— UCLA Women’s Soccer (@UCLAWSoccer) November 27, 2022
The Bruins went into halftime with a 1-0 lead thanks to two saves by goalkeeper Lauren Brzykcy, but the Cavaliers came back to tie in the 75th minute. On their fourth corner kick of the night, taken by Lia Godfrey, Haley Hopkins headed it in for the equalizer.
With the score knotted after regulation, each team pressed for the go-ahead goal. Both Hopkins for Virginia and Cook for UCLA had shots blocked, in the first overtime, but it was Cook who came through in the 96th minute. Senior Jackie Gilday got the play started by nutmegging a Virginia defender before crossing into the box. The ball was headed by a Cavalier player but bounced right to Cook, who one-timed it off an angle into the left corner for her seventh goal of the season. The Bruin defense held on through the final 12 minutes to secure the win.
Jackie Gilday’s nutmeg, leads to Sofia Cook’s go-ahead goal in the 98th minute!
UCLA leads after the first OT, 2-1!
??: ESPN+
?? : https://t.co/tVgOKnyubp#GoBruins | #NCAASoccer pic.twitter.com/82YWS0VvNw
— UCLA Women’s Soccer (@UCLAWSoccer) November 27, 2022
The Cavaliers (16-4-3) outshot the Bruins by a 15-9 margin and had eight corner kicks to UCLA’s one. Brzycky earned the win by making five saves….
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