COLLEGE STATION, Texas — No. 4-ranked/Pacific Coast Division Champion the University of California-Los Angeles bared No. 5/Midwest Division Champion the University of Notre Dame, 10-8, in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Women’s National Collegiate Club Championship hosted by Texas A&M University at the Student Rec Center.
Courtesy the victory, UCLA – which has previously finished Fifth (2010), Sixth (2008), Seventh (2011) and Ninth (2009, 2023) at the National Collegiate Club Championship – earns a spot in a 6:20 p.m. Central semifinal later today against the winner of a quarterfinal pitting No. 1/Sierra Pacific Division Champion the University of California-Davis and Mid-Atlantic Division Champion West Chester University.
Notre Dame- which has placed second (2009, 2015), fourth (2002), sixth (2001, 2010), seventh (2000, 2023), ninth (2006, 2013, 2014), 10th (2008, 2019, 2022), 11th (2007, 2011) and 12th (2012) in the championship’s history – will return to the water at 7:30 p.m. Central this evening against the fallen from the UC-Davis-vs.-West Chester game with a spot in the tournament’s Fifth Place game at stake.
The Bruins did not slumber in the game’s early going as Rachel Galvin (Fr., Napa, Calif.) and Sydney Adler (Fr., San Jose, Calif.) connected on shots at the 6:17 and 5:52 marks of the first quarter to provide UCLA a 2-0 lead. Lauren Rodenberg (Jr., El Dorado Hills, Calif.) cut Notre Dame’s deficit in half (2-1) prior to the conclusion of the opening seven minutes by converting a man-up opportunity with 2:16 on the clock.
Elizabeth Williams (Fr., Pleasanton, Calif.) returned UCLA’s margin to a pair with 3:29 to go in the second quarter, but Grace Christopher (So., Homer Glen, Ill.) responded by arching in a shot with five seconds left in the first half to trim the Bruins’ margin back to 3-2 after 14 minutes.
In the third quarter, Samantha DiMarco (Fr., Eugene, Ore.) made the game 4-2 in favor of UCLA at the 4:35 mark. However, consecutive man-up strikes by Emily Shank (Sr., Fullerton, Calif.) and Grace Kellerman (Sr., San Diego, Calif.) at 2:35 and 46 seconds, respectively, balanced the scoreboard at four-all.
The tie was short-lived, however, as Grayson Macleod (Fr., Santa Barbara, Calif.) returned the lead to UCLA prior to the end of the third quarter by flushing a shot with five seconds left on the clock to push the Bruins back out in front at 5-4.
Notre Dame responded to UCLA’s rally with one of their own to gain the lead as Kellerman delivered 22 (6:38) and 59 (6:01) seconds into the fourth quarter to provide the Irish a narrow 6-5 gap.
Per the saying “some days you eat the bear, some days the bear eats you”, the Bruins awoke from their offensive slumber to outscore Notre Dame by a 5-2 count over the remainder of the contest to claim victory.
Galvin squared the squads at six-all (5:48) and DiMarco returned the lead to UCLA (5:13) at 7-5 before Kellerman countered at 4:48 to deadlock the squads at seven-all.
UCLA exploited the next two and a half minutes to put the game away as Williams (4:20, 2:08) and Adler (3:35) combined for a three-score outburst to provide the Pacific Coast Division Champions with a 10-7 lead over their Midwest Division Champion counterparts.
Notre Dame was unable to put together another rally as the Irish mustered a man-up score by Rodenberg with 55 seconds left and nothing more to fall by a 10-8 count.
For UCLA, Williams (three), Adler (two), DiMarco (two) and Galvin (two) netted multi-goal games with Macleod contributing a solo score. Goalkeeper Charlie Flores (Fr., Malibu, Calif.) made nine saves.
Across the tank, Kellerman led all scorers with four goals, while Rodenberg (two), Christopher and Shank accounted for the remainder of the Irish’s offense. In cage, Player of the Game Olivia Sanders (Sr., Erie, Pa.) kept Notre Dame on the cusp of victory by posting 12 saves.
| 1st Q | 2nd Q | 3rd Q | 4th Q | – | FINAL | |
| No. 5 University of Notre Dame |
1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | – | 8 |
| No. 4 University of California-Los Angeles | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | – | 10 |
| UCLA Goals: | Elizabeth Williams (3); Sydney Adler (2); Samantha DiMarco (2); Rachel Galvin (2); Grayson Macleod | |||||
| Notre Dame Goals: | Grace Kellerman (4); Lauren Rodenberg (2); Grace Christopher; Emily Shank | |||||
| Saves: | UCLA – Charlie Flores (9) ; Notre Dame – Olivia Sanders (12) | |||||
| Exclusions: | UCLA – 11 ; Notre Dame – 5 | |||||
| Advantage Opportunities: | UCLA – 0-for-5 ; Notre Dame – 4-for-11 | |||||
| Sprints: | UCLA – 4-for-4 ; Notre Dame – 0-for-4 | |||||
| Cards/Misconducts: | None | |||||
| Officials: | Edwin Barrera, Marvel Shoen | |||||
University of Notre Dame’s Emily Shank (#10) unleashes a shot as Grayson Macleod (#14) of the University of California-Los Angeles defends
The University of Notre Dame’s Grace Kellerman (#2) & the University of California-Los Angeles’ Charley Jackson (#10)
The University of California-Los Angeles’ Jordyn Nishimura (#15) & the University of Notre Dame’s Natalina Antongiovanni (#11)
