COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Natalie Kaplanyan (Sr., Glendale, Calif.) scored six times to lead No. 1-ranked/Southwest Division Champion the University of California-San Diego to a 12-9 defeat of No. 1/Sierra Pacific Division Champion the University of California-Davis in the Third Place game of the 2024 Women’s National Collegiate Club Championship at Texas A&M University’s Student Rec Center.
UC-San DIego – which holds prior Fifth (2018) and Third (2022) place finishes at the Women’s National Collegiate Club Championship – and UC-Davis – which previously claimed first (2012, 2013, 2017, 2018), second (2011, 2019), third (2008, 2014, 2016), fifth (2009) and 13th (2023) – battled to a four-all tie after one quarter prior to UC-San Diego pushing ahead by a 6-5 count at the conclusion of the first quarter as Cecilia Sommerfield (So, Mercer Island, Wash.) put away a shot with 1:45 on the second quarter clock.
Lauren Jennings (So., San Diego, Calif.) evened the score at six-all 20 seconds into the third quarter, but a 3-0 outburst consisting of back-to-back-to-back strikes by Kaplanyan turned the tide decisively in the Tritons favor to allow UC-San Diego to acquire a 9-6 lead.
Aidan Jacobo (Jr., Roseville, Calif.) bounded a ball into the cage to convert a man-up chance for the Aggies with 2:13 remaining in the third quarter to help UC-Davis close within 9-7 heading into the final seven minutes of regulation.
Katie Jennings (So., Santa Monica, Calif.) further trimmed UC-San Diego’s lead back to 9-8 19 seconds into the fourth quarter at 6:41, but a man-up score by Julia Derunes (Sr., San Diego, Calif.) with 5:25 left in the contest proved to be the game-winner by building the Tritons’ total to 10 goals.
The Aggies refused to go down without a fight, however, as Kaitlyn Heindl (Jr., San Diego, Calif.) sliced UC-San Diego’s scoreboard advantage to 10-9 with 4:20 remaining, but successful heaves by Elizabeth Hernandez (Fr., Murrieta, Calif.) (2:41) and Kaplanyan (1:50, man-up) cushioned the Tritons’ lead to 12-9 prior to the concluding buzzer.
For UC-Davis, Lauren Jennings (three), Katie Jennings (two), Amiah Merrill (Jr., Elk Grove, Calif.), Heindl, Jacobo and Bella Campos (Jr., San Ramon, Calif.) combined to account for the Aggies’ nine goals. In cage, goalkeepers Ali Diaz (Sr., Los Angeles, Calif.) (two saves, seven minutes) and Callie McClain (Sr., San Diego, Calif.) (seven saves, 21 minutes) teamed up to stop nine UC-San Diego shots.
Kaplanyan (six) and Hernandez (three) equaled the offensive output of their foes for the Tritons with Sommerfield (two) and Julia Derunes (Sr., San Diego, Calif.) teaming up for three goals to make the difference between victory and defeat.
Story Waxman (So., Santa Monica, Calif.) was a tale of her own in the Third Place game as UC-San Diego’s netminder equaled her UC-Davis counterparts by turning away nine Aggies’ scoring attempts – including four stops in the first quarter to keep her team in the contest.
The Third Place game was moderately unique as both UC-Davis and UC-San Diego entered the weekend with No. 1 rankings in the latest National Top 20 Collegiate Club Poll as the Aggies, Tritons and the University of Michigan – which earned a spot in the National Championship game – were equals a top the rankings.
| 1st Q | 2nd Q | 3rd Q | 4th Q | – | FINAL | |
| No. 1 University of California-San Diego |
4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | – | 12 |
| No. 1 University of California-Davis | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | – | 9 |
| UC-Davis Goals: | Lauren Jennings (3); Katie Jennings (2); Amiah Merrill; Kaitlyn Heindl; Aidan Jacobo; Bella Campos | |||||
| UCSD Goals: | Natalie Kaplanyan (6); Elizabeth Hernandez (3); Cecilia Sommerfield (2); Julia Derunes | |||||
| Saves: | UC-Davis – Ali Diaz (2, 7 minutes), Callie McClain (7, 21 minutes) ; UCSD – Story Waxman (9) | |||||
| Exclusions: | UC-Davis – 9 ; UCSD – 10 | |||||
| Advantage Opportunities: | UC-Davis – 3-for-10 ; UCSD – 5-for-9 | |||||
| Sprints: | UC-Davis – 3-for-4 (1st, 3rd, 4th) ; UCSD – 1-for-4 (2nd) | |||||
| Cards/Misconducts: | None | |||||
| Officials: | Edwin Barrera, Jennifer Frain | |||||
The University of California-Davis’ Bella Campos (#3) unleashes a shot over the University of California-San Diego’s Kayleigh Dennen (#9)
The University of California-Davis’ Kayla Landman (#7)
The University of California-Davis’ Katie Jennings (#14) attempts to stop the University of California-San Diego’s Cecilia Sommerfield (#20)
2024 Women’s National Collegiate Club Championship Third Place: The University of California-San Diego
