The 2023 NCAA Division I women's soccer championship game (also known as the 2023 NCAA Division I Women's College Cup) was played on December 4, 2023, at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina, and determined the winner of the 2023 NCAA Division I women's soccer tournament, the national collegiate women's soccer championship in the United States. This was the 41st. edition of this tournament organised by the NCAA.[1]
 WakeMed Soccer Park hosted the match | |||||||
| Event | 2022 NCAA Division I women's soccer tournament | ||||||
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| (after extra time) | |||||||
| Date | 5 December 2022 | ||||||
| Venue | WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, NC | ||||||
| Referee | Samantha Martinez | ||||||
| Attendance | 9,531 | ||||||
The match featured North Carolina (20–4–1),[2] which played its 27th. final, and UCLA, which made its 6th. appearance in the final. UCLA made a historic comeback[3] to defeat North Carolina 3–1 and win their second NCAA women's soccer title.[1][4]
UCLA forced the extra time scoring two goals with only 10 minutes remaining. The winning goal was scored by Graduate midfielder Maricarmen Reyes in the 107'.[5] UCLA (which had reached the final with a 22–2–1 record) also became the first women's soccer program in the NCAA history to win a national championship with a first-year head coach.[3][1] This championship became the 120th. title in UCLA athletics program history.[5][2]
North Carolina coach Anson Dorrance praised UCLA, and stated about the game: "This is one of the greatest finals I've personally ever been involved in" (...) up and back, lots of goals, overtime, the drama of sport — one team goes up, the other one claws their way back."[3]
Road to the final
editThe NCAA Division I women's soccer tournament, sometimes known as the College Cup, is an American intercollegiate soccer tournament conducted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and determines the Division I women's national champion. The tournament has been formally held since 1982, when it was a twelve-team tournament.
| North Carolina (ACC) | Round | UCLA (Pac-12) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opponent | Result | NCAA Tournament | Opponent | Result |
| Old Dominion (ACC) | 5–0 (H) | First round | Northern Arizona (BSC) | 4–1 (A) |
| Georgia (SEC) | 3–1 (H) | Second round | UCF (Big 12) | 1–1 (3–0 p) (A) |
| BYU (Big 12) | 3–2 (H) | Round of 16 | Northwestern (Big Ten) | 2–0 (A) |
| Notre Dame (ACC) | 2–0 (H) | Quarterfinal | Virginia (ACC) | 2–1 (A) |
| Florida State (ACC) | 3–2 (N) | College Cup | Alabama (SEC) | 3–0 (N) |
Match details
edit| North Carolina | 2–3 (a.e.t.) | UCLA |
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Patterson  59', 75' |
Report | Wright 80' Turner 89'Reyes 107' |
      North Carolina
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 UCLA
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College Cup MVP
Assistant referees:
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Match rules:
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Statistics
edit| North Carolina |
UCLA | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals scored | 2 | 3 |
| Total shots | 13 | 20 |
| Saves | 9 | 5 |
| Corner kicks | 4 | 9 |
| Fouls | 9 | 22 |
| Yellow cards | 3 | 2 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 |
References
edit- ^ a b c UCLA wins the 2022 national championship in an all-time classic, 3–2 in 2OT on NCAA, 5 Dec 2022
- ^ a b UCLA Women's Soccer Beats UNC in College Cup Final, Wins NCAA Title by Sam Connon on Sports Illustrated, 5 Dec 2022
- ^ a b c UCLA women’s soccer pulls off miracle comeback over North Carolina for NCAA title BY EM ADLER on Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec 2022
- ^ UCLA crowned NCAA National Champions to wrap 2022 Pac-12 Women’s Soccer season on Pac 12 Conference, 7 Dec 2023
- ^ a b UCLA storms back, wins second NCAA women’s soccer title UCLA Newsroom, 6 Dec 2022