Dec 5, 2004 3 min read

CARY, N.C. (AP) – UCLA coach Jillian Ellis has every reason to be a little testy when it comes to questions about North Carolina’s absence from the Women’s College Cup. After all, the Bruins’ previous two trips to the Final Four ended with losses to the Tar Heels, who failed to advance this far for the first time this year. So when Ellis was asked if the show of parity in women’s soccer was good for the sport, she gave a terse, one-word answer.

“Yes,” she replied.

UCLA (18-6), who reached the final for the second time, fills the role of underdog again by playing Notre Dame (24-1-1) today at 1 p.m. The Fighting Irish won the national title in 1995 and can join North Carolina – there’s that team again – as the only multiple champions.

A 1-0 victory over Santa Clara got them here, while the Bruins beat Princeton 2-0.

“I think UCLA is a very athletic team, but I think we are, too,” Notre Dame coach Randy Waldrum said. “The system that they play is very organized. It’s difficult to break down, and you can tell they are a well-coached team.”

The Irish’s success comes amid some troubling times for the football team. Coach Tyrone Willingham was fired earlier in the week, and athletic director Kevin White made a run at Utah coach Urban Meyer, who decided to go to Florida instead.

Another potential candidate, Detroit Lions coach Steve Mariucci, took his name out of the running Saturday.

Despite the ongoing search, White found time to attend Notre Dame’s semifinal on Friday, and he’s expected back today.

“I don’t think you will see many athletic directors around the country that will commit to the soccer program the way he has,” Waldrum said. “We are really happy about the support we are getting.”

And the notoriety has helped Waldrum’s players relax.

“I think it’s good that the attention has been taken away from the team, and it has relieved some of the pressure off of this team,” defender Christie Shaner said.

To win their second title, the Irish have to go through the Bruins, who haven’t allowed a goal so far in the postseason. Princeton managed only three shots Friday, and none really threatened the goal.

Bruins goalkeeper Valerie Henderson didn’t even have to make a save.

“Every game we go out on the field with the goal in mind of not allowing the other team to take a shot,” UCLA defender Kendal Billingsley said. “That is just our job.”

Doing that against Notre Dame probably means finding a way to slow down forward Katie Thorlakson. The leading scorer in the nation has 22 goals and 24 assists, and helped teammate Candace Chapman beat Santa Clara with a nifty pass.

She has a hand in 23 of the past 27 goals for the Irish.

, and she isn’t worried about whatever defense the Bruins have in store for her.

“Our game plan is just to follow what we do best,” Thorlakson said. “We’ll just go out and play.”