UCLA Bruins v. Duke Blue Devils Game Thread

The UCLA Bruin Women’s soccer team is in Orlando (woo hoo!!) for the Women’s College Cup, the “final four” of the sport. The Bruins are searching for their second national title, with the first having come four years ago in 2013, under Head Coach Amanda Cromwell. It has been a homecoming of sorts for Coach Cromwell, returning to Central Florida after coaching for 13 seasons at UCF before heading west to coach the Bruins.

UCLA faces the Duke Blue Devils today at 4:30 p.m. PT, with the winner to face the winner of Stanford vs. South Carolina. Both UCLA and Stanford are seeking their 114th national championship in all sports.

The Bruins (19-2-2) and Blue Devils (23-2) are very evenly matched, and both have A LOT of offensive firepower. Although Duke is 15-0 at home and 7-1 on the road, they are only 1-1 in neutral site games.

UCLA has lost at home to Stanford, 1-0—in a game that was marred by a controversial goal that wasn’t, which would have put UCLA up 1-0—and Washington State on the road, a team that made the Round of 16 in the tournament.

Both of Duke’s losses have been to North Carolina, which was itself upset by Princeton after reaching the Round of 16. Princeton fell one week later to the Bruins in the Round of 8.

The teams have two common opponents, Virginia and Utah.

Against the Cavaliers, which each team played twice, Duke won 1-0 and again 1-0. UCLA won 2-1 and again 2-1.

Against Utah, Duke won 2-1. UCLA won 2-1.

Did I mention that these teams were evenly matched?

It should be a great game. Tune in on ESPNU!!!

This is your UCLA Bruins versus Duke Blue Devils, National Championship Semi-Final game thread.

Go Bruins!