An Historic Run Ends: No. 4 UCLA Tops No. 13 Princeton in NCAA Quarterfinals

Saturday, November 25

Los Angeles, Calif.

8:30 ET/5:30 PT

Princeton University

16-3-1

UCLA

19-2-2

Princeton

UCLA

An Historic Run Ends: No. 4 UCLA Tops No. 13 Princeton in NCAA Quarterfinals

November 25, 2017 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

With its defeat of the nation's No. 2-ranked team last Sunday at North Carolina, the 13th-ranked Princeton women's soccer team allowed No. 4 UCLA to host Saturday night's NCAA quarterfinal.

The Bruins welcomed them with an attack that saw goals in the 16th and 18th minutes on the way to a 3-1 UCLA win and a trip to the NCAA College Cup semifinals against No. 3 Duke Friday in Orlando, Fla.

UCLA outshot the Tigers 24-10, including 13-1 in the first half, and drew 11 corner kicks, six of them before the break. Sophomore keeper Natalie Grossi finished with 10 saves while Hailie Mace and Olivia Athens had the first-half goals for UCLA. Princeton cut the deficit to 2-1 when Courtney O'Brien broke free and found a cutting Abby Givens for a slice across the box in the 55th minute, but the Bruins struck back six minutes later with Mace's second.

The 2017 season saw Princeton earn a program-record nine All-Ivy League honors, including its third Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year honoree in the last four years in senior Vanessa Gregoire and with Sean Driscoll winning Ivy Coach of the Year recognition for the second time in three years. Gregoire ends her career as Princeton's all-time assist leader, with 27.

The NCAA tournament appearance was Princeton's 12th in program history and the third in the last six years, all of which have seen Princeton advance at least to the second round. The quarterfinal run was the Tigers' best since 2004, which saw Princeton make a run to the College Cup semis before UCLA ended that run as well.

The Tigers outscored their opposition 44-11 on the way to a 16-3-1 record, the second-most wins in program history behind the 19-3 record the 2004 team posted.

Going forward, though the Tigers lose three defensive starters to graduation in Katie Pratt-Thompson, Mikaela Symanovich and Natalie Larkin, along with Gregoire and Alessia Azermadhi in the midfield from tonight's starting 11, Princeton is able to bring back 37 of its 44 goals, including 31 from current sophomore Givens (12), junior Mimi Asom (10) and sophomore O'Brien (nine), plus sophomore Grossi in goal after a program-record 11-shutout season.