UCLA Reaches Final Four by Defeating Clemson, 2-1

Seeking to join the elite teams in women’s college soccer, UCLA has its chance to show what it can do.

Breana Boling scored in the 60th minute to break a tie and send the Bruins to the NCAA College Cup with a 2-1 victory over Clemson on Saturday at Clemson, S.C.

The College Cup is college soccer’s version of the Final Four and it will be UCLA’s first appearance in the eight-year history of the program. By avenging a season-opening 1-0 loss to the Tigers, the sixth-seeded Bruins (18-3-1) will play Portland on Friday in San Jose.

“We played Clemson in the first game of the season and I told our team that we’d be back,” UCLA Coach Jillian Ellis said. “We’ve come full circle.”

Boling knocked in a loose ball in front of the net past Clemson goalkeeper Katie Carson after Krista Boling set up the play with a cross over Carson.

Bruin goalkeeper CiCi Peterson preserved the lead with two key saves in the final 15 minutes.

“You have to give credit to UCLA,” Clemson Coach Ray Leone said. “This loss hurts.”

“We played hard enough, but we did not play well enough. UCLA had a lot to do with it.”

Freshman Lindsay Greco gave UCLA a 1-0 lead in the 16th minute with a goal on a header off a pass from Stephanie Rigamat. Third-seeded Clemson (18-3) tied it on Delilah Arrington’s goal in the 36th minute.

Portland advanced with a 1-0 overtime victory over Penn State at State College, Pa.