UCLA women’s soccer blanks Alabama to reach national title match

CARY, N.C. — Reilyn Turner gave top-ranked UCLA the lead, Quincy McMahon and Madelyn Desiano added insurance goals and the Bruins defeated Alabama, 3-0, in an NCAA Division I women’s soccer semifinal on Friday night.

UCLA (21-2-1) will play North Carolina for the championship on Monday night. The Tar Heels held off defending champion Florida State, 3-2, in the first semifinal.

The Bruins are in the College Cup for the 12th time, winning the title in 2013. Alabama (23-3-1) was making its first semifinal appearance. The Crimson Tide led the nation in wins, total points, goals and assists this season.

UCLA came out firing, taking four shots on goal in the first 14 minutes.

McKinley Crone had five saves before the Bruins finally got one past her. Turner found the net for UCLA – with an assist from McMahon – in the 30th minute for a 1-0 lead.

UCLA broke the match open in a two-minute span of the second half. McMahon scored unassisted in the 52nd minute and Madelyn Desiano stretched the lead to 3-0 with an unassisted goal just 1:56 later.

Lauren Brzykcy had seven saves in posting a clean sheet for UCLA. Crone finished with eight saves for the Tide.

It was the 10th goal of the season for Turner and the third for McMahon and Desiano.

Sophomore defenders McMahon and Lilly Reale and Turner, a junior forward, all garnered All-Pac-12 first-team selections.

On a previous trip to North Carolina this season, the Bruins knocked off then-No. 1 North Carolina and No. 2 Duke in consecutive matches.

North Carolina is aiming for its 22nd national championship in the last 41 seasons.

In the first semifinal …

North Carolina 3, Florida State 2: Tori Hansen and Julia Dorsey scored seven minutes apart in the second half and North Carolina held off the No. 1 overall seed.

North Carolina (20-4-1), making its 31st College Cup appearance, is searching for its 22nd national title but the first since 2012 when it was also a No. 2 seed.

North Carolina took a 3-0 lead in the 66th minute when Dorsey headed home Emily Moxley’s free kick, but Onyi Echegini scored less than a minute later for her team-leading 11th goal of the season for Florida State.

The defending champions pulled within 3-2 in the 76th when Heather Payne headed Echegini’s cross through the legs of goalkeeper Emmie Allen.

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Allen, a freshman, made a season-high nine saves to help North Carolina avenge a 2-1 loss to Florida State on Nov. 6 in the ACC championship game.

Aleigh Gambone scored her second goal of the season, first since Aug. 18, for North Carolina to open the scoring in the 42nd. Maddie Dahlien sent a deflected ball across the goal and a failed clearance attempt fell to the feet of Gambone at the penalty spot for a calm finish.

Hansen scored on a penalty kick in the 59th minute following a handball by Heather Gilchrist in the box. Hansen, the North Carolina captain, is 5 for 5 from the penalty spot this season and has eight goals.

Cristina Roque, the ACC goalkeeper of the year, made three saves for Florida State (17-3-3).

Give @QuincyMcMahon13 her flowers for getting @reilynturner that ball in front of goal to give UCLA the 1-0 lead in the NCAA semifinal!

: @ESPNU
: https://t.co/tVgOKnyubp#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/yE0ClOTVjq

— UCLA Women’s Soccer (@UCLAWSoccer) December 3, 2022

GOALLLLLLLLLLLL UCLA!!! @QuincyMcMahon13 set up UCLA’s first goal and then scored the second goal herself!

UCLA 2, Alabama 0 in the 52nd minute!

: @ESPNU
: https://t.co/tVgOKnyubp#GoBruins#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/0jkJJFXDIm

— UCLA Women’s Soccer (@UCLAWSoccer) December 3, 2022

WHAT A SHOT, @MadelynDesiano!

Bruins lead 3-0 in the national semifinal!

: @ESPNU
: https://t.co/tVgOKnyubp#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/MGbw2riKUw

— UCLA Women’s Soccer (@UCLAWSoccer) December 3, 2022