COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Player of the Game/goalkeeper Charlie Flores (Fr., Malibu, Calif.) made nine saves as No. 4-ranked/Pacific Coast Division Champion the University of California-Los Angeles outscored No. 1/Sierra Pacific Division Champion the University of California-Davis 7-3 in the second and third quarters for the difference as the Bruins upended the Aggies, 9-5, to make the 2024 Women’s National Collegiate Club Championship title game at Texas A&M University’s Student Rec Center.
UCLA – which has recently placed fifth (2010), sixth (2008), seventh (2011) and ninth (2009, 2023) at the Women’s National Collegiate Club Championship – is guaranteed to post the program’s all-time best finish at the event regardless of the outcome from the 12:45 p.m Central clash with defending National Champion/No. 1/Big Ten Division Champion the University of Michigan on Sunday, May 5. Michigan reached the title tilt courtesy an 8-7 victory over No. 1/Southwest Division Champion the University of California-San Diego in the game immediately preceding the showdown between UC-Davis and UCLA.
UC-Davis – which holds prior first (2012, 2013, 2017, 2018), second (2011, 2019), third (2008, 2014, 2016), fifth (2009) and 13th (2023) place marks at the Women’s National Collegiate Club Championship – will seek to add a fourth Third Place finish to the Aggies’ history at 11:30 a.m. Central on Sunday, May 5, when the team takes on UC-San Diego.
The Bruins never trailed in taking down the top-ranked Aggies as a man-up strike by Rachel Galvin (Fr., Napa, Calif.) at 5:10 in the first quarter broke the ice. Lauren Jennings (So., San Diego, Calif.) posted an equalizer at 4:04 as the teams exited the opening seven minutes even at one-all.
Maggie Benson (Fr., Indian Wells, Calif.) (6:41) and Jordyn Nishimura (Fr., Honolulu, Hawaii) (6:05) returned the lead to UCLA in the first minute of the second quarter as the Bruins acquired a 3-1 margin. A penalty shot by Jennings at 3:16 inched the Aggies back to within one at 3-2 prior to her slipping in a natural strike at 2:16 to even the damage at three-all.
The game turned in the waning moments of the second quarter and the first three minutes of the second quarter as Elizabeth Williams (Fr., Pleasanton, Calif.) closed out the first half with a go ahead score at the 1:52 mark of the second quarter prior to Samantha DiMarco (Fr., Eugene, Ore.), Sydney Adler (Fr., San Jose, Calif.), Charley Jackson (Sr., Whittier, Calif.) and Abygale Kim (So., Palm Springs, Calif.) commencing the third quarter with back-to-back-to-back-to-back tallies at 6:41, 5:43, 5:02 and 4:24, respectively, to provide UCLA a comfortable 8-3 margin.
Audrey Laskey (Sr., San Diego, Calif.) closed out the third quarter by cashing in a man-up chance at 1:23 as the Aggies trailed 8-4 entering the fourth quarter.
Jennings struck again 38 seconds into the fourth quarter to inch UC-Davis within three at 8-5, but a retort by Benson with 1:28 left in regulation kept the Aggies from moving any closer in falling by a 9-5 score.
For the Aggies, Jennings finished with four goals and Laskey notched a solo score. Goalkeeper Callie McClain (Sr., San Diego, Calif.) turned aside seven shots in taking the loss.
Benson (two), Adler, DiMarco, Kim, Williams, Jackson, Galvin and Nishimura combined for UCLA’s offense in support of Flores.
| 1st Q | 2nd Q | 3rd Q | 4th Q | – | FINAL | |
| No. 1 University of California-Davis |
1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | 5 |
| No. 4 University of California-Los Angeles | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | – | 9 |
| UCLA Goals: | Maggie Benson (2); Sydney Adler; Samantha DiMarco; Abygale Kim; Elizabeth Williams; Charley Jackson; Rachel Galvin; Jordyn Nishimura | |||||
| UC-Davis Goals: | Lauren Jennings (4); Audrey Laskey | |||||
| Saves: | UCLA – Charlie Flores (9), Noelle Antongiovanni (1) ; UC-Davis – Callie McClain (7) | |||||
| Exclusions: | UCLA – 4 ; UC-Davis -5 | |||||
| Advantage Opportunities: | UCLA – 1-for-5 ; UC-Davis – 1-for-4 | |||||
| Sprints: | UCLA – 4-for-4 ; UC-Davis – 0-for-4 | |||||
| Cards/Misconducts: | None | |||||
| Officials: | John Rightmyer, Edwin Barrera | |||||
University of California-Davis’ Aidan Jacbo (#5) defends the University of California-Los Angeles’ Jaden Nguyen (#13)
University of California-Davis’ Callie McClain (#1A) makes a save
The University of California-Davis’ Bella Campos (#3) & the University of California-Los Angeles’ Jaden Nguyen (#13)
The University of California-Davis’ Kaitlyn Heindl (#8) reaches out to defend the University of California-Los Angeles’ Charley Jackson (#10)
The University of California-Los Angeles’ Matalene Winters (#6) attempts to break up a pass by the University of California-Davis’ Kayla Landman (#7)
