UCSD Wins Regional Title, Will Play Host to NCAA Finals

The UC San Diego women’s soccer team won the NCAA Division III Western Regional championship Sunday in St. Paul, Minn., and will play host to the national championships for the first time Saturday and Sunday at UCSD’s North Campus Stadium.

The Tritons were tied with St. Thomas, 1-1, after Felicia Faro’s second-half goal forced overtime. After a scoreless 30-minute period, goalkeeper Julie Friess saved three penalty kicks, and UCSD advanced to the round of four for the second consecutive year.

In Saturday’s semifinals, UCSD (17-1-1) will play New England Regional champion Plymouth State of New Hampshire (3-2), and Northeast Regional champion Ithaca College of New York (15-0-5) will play South/Mideast Regional champion Methodist of North Carolina (15-5). Game times have not been set.

MEN’S SOCCER

Halfway through the second half, Brian Craft-Negrete gave San Diego State a 1-0 nonconference victory on a diving header against visiting UC Santa Barbara. Ken Taylor got the assist.

The Aztecs are 14-4-3 and will find out later today if they’ll receive an NCAA playoff bid. Santa Barbara is 8-9-1.

Mike Alberts of visiting UCSD scored two minutes into the overtime to lift the Tritons to a 2-1 victory over Claremont College in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Far West-Midwest Regional.

Claremont (17-2-1) opened scoring early in the first half, then Alberts scored before halftime to tie it, 1-1. UCSD (13-5-3) will meet St. John’s of Collegeville, Minn., winner over Colorado College, for the West-Midwest Regional title this weekend. The site will be announced today.

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

The top-ranked Tritons (20-12) open Division III Western Regional play Friday in La Verne. UCSD will play the winner of Thursday’s Menlo College/Cal State San Bernardino game, and La Verne meets the winner of Thursday’s Eastern Connecticut/Colorado College winner on Friday. Winners advance to Saturday’s championship.