NCAA Tournament Bracket

CARY, N.C. – For the 11th time in program history, Santa Clara women's soccer is headed to the College Cup.

The 11th-seeded Broncos (9-1) beat No. 14 seed Clemson (12-5-2) 1-0 Sunday evening in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament at WakeMed Soccer Park to make it to the national semifinals for the first time since 2004.

Santa Clara ties UCLA and Florida State, which also advanced Sunday, for the third-most trips all-time to the College Cup.

In a back-and-forth grinder of a match, Santa Clara became the only non-Atlantic Coast Conference team still with a chance at a national title.

The Broncos will face No. 2 seed North Carolina on Thursday in one semifinal. The top-seeded Seminoles meet Virginia in the other one.

Santa Clara started off well and controlled play in the early going before the Tigers found their legs and started to press up in the attacking third. Keeper Marlee Nicolos was on point for the Broncos, stopping all six shots on goal for her second-consecutive shutout against a seeded team.

The Broncos put five of their shots on goal with Clemson keeper Hensley Hancuff coming up with four saves.

The only ball Hancuff couldn't stop came in the 19th minute on a connection between Izzy D'Aquila and Sally Menti. D'Aquila sent a ball across the top of the box to Menti who took a few touches and blasted a left-footed shot off the hand of Hancuff and in.

It was the second goal of the year for Menti, the WCC Freshman of the Year, and the second assist of the season for D'Aquila, a First Team All-WCC selection.

Both teams had chances throughout the rest of the match but both defenses bowed their necks and kept the ball out of the back of the net.

HIGHLIGHTS | Sally Menti scored the match-winner and @marleenicolos_1 made key stops in net in today's 1-0 victory over Clemson to punch our ticket to the @NCAASoccer #CollegeCup!#NCAASoccer #StampedeTogether #SCUBroncos pic.twitter.com/UJDE96aXjL

— Santa Clara Women's Soccer (@SCUWomensSoccer) May 10, 2021

��️ Hear from @SCUJerrySmith after the #SCUBroncos topped @clemsonwsoccer 1-0 to advance to the #CollegeCup for the 11th time in program history.#StampedeTogether #NCAAsoccer pic.twitter.com/vE708BPqvv

— Santa Clara Women's Soccer (@SCUWomensSoccer) May 10, 2021

NOTES

• Santa Clara will be making its 11th trip to the NCAA College Cup, which ties UCLA and Florida State for third most all-time. North Carolina leads the way with 30 and Notre Dame is second with 12. The Broncos last appeared in 2004 and won the national title in 2001.
• The Broncos posted their 57th NCAA Tournament win. This is the program's 30th trip to the NCAAs, including six years in a row and 11 of the last 12.
• Santa Clara is one of seven teams to have reached the third round of the NCAA Tournament in four of the last five years and the only non-Power 5 program.
• Santa Clara is now 4-0 all-time against Clemson.
• Head coach Jerry Smith is just one of three women's soccer coaches with 500 career Division I wins, a mark he reached this year on May 13 at BYU, and has 507 after today's victory. Anson Dorrance, the head coach of the Broncos' next opponent North Carolina, has the most all-time with 889.

UP NEXT
The Broncos play No. 2 seed North Carolina in the national semifinals Thursday at Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. Time is TBA.

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