UCLA
USC
UCLA Wins 2014 Pac-12 Women's Soccer Championship
November 08, 2014 | Women's Soccer
Senior Kylie McCarthy scored both goals in the final 11 minutes of the contest, continuing an amazing run during which she has scored five goals in her last five games.
The Bruins (18-0-2, 10-0-1 in the Pac-12) were on the cusp of scoring the go-ahead goal seemingly the entire game. In the first half, USC goalkeeper Caroline Stanley turned away three shots, including a save in traffic on a Sarah Killion shot headed towards goal in the 34th minute. USC's defense played tough as well, clearing off the line a Megan Oyster header off a corner kick in the 23rd minute. UCLA's defense allowed zero shots in the half and stopped any potential threats, including a counter-attack in the final minute of the half that Kodi Lavrusky, playing her first game since getting injured a month ago, slowed down and stopped in its tracks with a steal.
In the second half, UCLA continued to pepper USC (12-6-2, 6-5-0) with shots that were either saved by Stanley or oh-so-close to going in. Caprice Dydasco made a great run in the 56th minute and took a shot that went just high. In the 58th minute, a header by Darian Jenkins also went high. Rosie White was goal-dangerous after coming back into the game in the 65th minute, taking two shots that were saved and another that hit the crossbar in the 75th minute.
Dydasco, who had a tremendous game on both ends of the field, made the first goal happen with a cracking shot that Stanley had to make a flying save on. McCarthy followed up on the play, collecting the rebound on the left side and dribbling near post. McCarthy made a move on a USC defender to get free and beat Stanley with a precision shot at a tough angle for the game-winner at 78:47.
McCarthy wasn't done, however. Just half a minute later, she stole a ball halfway up the USC backfield and found herself alone with just the keeper to beat. Some late pressure by the USC defense slowed her enough to force her shot wide, but McCarthy remained relentless throughout the rest of the contest and was rewarded with a second goal at 87:00. Ally Courtnall set up McCarthy's second goal with a great through ball, and McCarthy went far post to score the final goal.
"Kylie was so composed on the rebound," UCLA head coach Amanda Cromwell said. "Caprice was an offensive threat all night long, so it was pretty fitting that we scored off a rebound on her shot. I can't say enough about Kylie and her composure and her skill off the ball, and how she's come on and played so well with Darian and Kodi being injured. It's so nice when someone gets their shot and they step up. Kylie has more than filled a role; she's been a star."
Rowland set or tied several records with the shutout victory. Along with tying the NCAA career shutout record, she set new school records for single-season shutouts (16), single-season consecutive shutouts (7), single-season consecutive shutout minutes (667).
The Pac-12 Championship is UCLA's 11th all-time and second in a row. The Bruins receive the Pac-12's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA selection show will air on Monday, Nov. 10 at 1:30 pm PT on NCAA.com.
With the win, UCLA increases its lead in the SoCal BMW Crosstown Cup to 25-10, as the Bruins grab 10 points for the series win.
