2018 NWSL champions North Carolina Courage2018 NWSL champions North Carolina Courage
John Todd/isiphotos.com

Five UCLA alumnae won the 2018 NWSL Championship with the North Carolina Courage (photo courtesy John Todd/ISIPhotos.com)

Five UCLA Alumnae Win 2018 NWSL Championship

Women's Soccer

Dahlkemper, Jenkins, Mewis, Rowland and Zerboni win another national title.

Five UCLA women's soccer alumnae won the 2018 NWSL Championship with the North Carolina Courage, who defeated Portland FC, 3-0, in the championship match on Sept. 22.

Abby Dahlkemper, Katelyn Rowland and Sam Mewis started and played all 90 minutes for the Courage in the victory, and Darian Jenkins played the final minute. McCall Zerboni, a finalist for the NWSL MVP, was unavailable for the Courage after suffering a broken elbow in a U.S. National Team game earlier in the month. Mewis helped set up the Courage's third goal, Dahlkemper led a stout Courage defense, and Rowland had three saves to earn the shutout.

Winning a national championship was nothing new for the Bruin alumnae. Dahlkemper, Rowland, Mewis and Jenkins were all starters on UCLA's 2013 NCAA Championship team, and Dahlkemper, Rowland, Mewis and Zerboni played for the Western New York Flash's 2016 NWSL Championship squad.

The Courage became the first team ever to win the NWSL Shieldand the NWSL Championship. They also claimed a third trophy this season, winning the Women's International Champions Cup.