UCLA reaches title game with 7-6 victory over USC

The UCLA women’s team defeated USC for the sixth consecutive time, and fourth time this season, 7-6, Saturday night in the semifinals of the NCAA championships at the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos.

The second-seeded Bruins (27-2) will play top-seeded Stanford (27-2) today at 5:30 p.m. in the championship match. The Cardinal advanced by beating San Diego State, 13-4.

If UCLA wins, it would be the school’s 100th NCAA team title. UCLA would be the first school to accomplish that feat.

As in last year’s NCAA tournament match between the Trojans and Bruins, Courtney Mathewson scored the winning goal late in the fourth quarter.

Mathewson scored with just over a minute left in the game to give the Bruins a 7-6 lead. Kelly Rulon stole the ball on USC’s final possession to secure the win.

UCLA is now 32-12 all-time against USC, which dropped to 21-6 and will play San Diego State for third place at 3:30.

Reminiscent of their game at Sunset Canyon Recreation Center on April 7, the game was full of large swings in momentum, which were spurred on by the capacity crowd.

UCLA won the opening sprint, and Jillian Kraus scored on a rocket of a shot from seven meters out. On the next possession, Emily Feher saved a shot from point-blank range.

Kacy Kunkel drew an ejection that Gabrielle Domanic capitalized on to give the Bruins a 2-0 lead.

USC answered with four consecutive goals by Erika Figge, Veronika Bartunkova, Kami Craig and Brittany Hayes.

The Trojans led, 4-2, three minutes before halftime when the Bruins scored again. Domanic drew a penalty shot on Bartunkova that Rulon converted.