UCLA, the defending national champion, will open the NCAA women’s soccer tournament Friday against UC Irvine at home. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. PST. The meeting with Irvine, the Big West conference winner, will be the second of the year between the two schools. UCLA won the first 4-0 in August.
The tournament invite is the Bruins’ eighth straight and 27th overall. UCLA has a 74-20-7 NCAA record and has advanced to the Round of 16 or beyond in nine of the last 10 seasons, making final four appearances in 2013, 2017, 2019 and 2022 and winning the national title 2013 and 2022.