The Key Matchups in the NCAA Round of 64

On Monday, the NCAA round of 64 was announced. This Friday, the 64 teams vie for a national title. A year defined by breakout players and a shakeup of the national landscape, it looks to be one of the most wide-open tournaments in recent history. Some of the draws have netted fascinating matchups and have piqued my interest. It’s time to explore what games are worth keeping a special eye on as they paint a meaningful picture of the road ahead.

Santa Clara (8) vs. California

A battle between the Golden State, the Golden Bears, and the Broncos is a clash between two teams in form. Cal had been projected to be a middle-of-the-pack team in the Pac-12 preseason polls but had their best season since 2019.

They finished their season without a blemish in the last five games, including three clean sheets. Their team’s led by their back line, which includes two all-conference selections, Aye Oke and Sydney Collins. That gives them a grit that some teams lack and a sense of internal unity.

Oke adds another one!

Cal extends the lead to 2-0. #GoBears pic.twitter.com/DuSzkqj46W

— Cal Women's Soccer (@CalWSoc) October 21, 2022

On the flip side, Santa Clara hasn’t lost since the end of September. They dominated the West Coast Conference with an undefeated record and outscored their opponents 19-4. The 2020 national champions are guided by the woman who sealed that title for them in penalty kicks: Izzy D’Aquila.

The senior forward has taken the country by storm, notching 18 goals and five assists while solidifying herself as a top draft prospect in the upcoming NWSL draft.

These two teams already squared off this season, with the Golden Bears picking up the 1-0 road win. The game started fast, but once Anysa Gray scored the opener, the pace dramatically slowed, which favors the defensive team in Cal. Look for Santa Clara to try to play at a faster tempo and to feed D’Aquila, who netted every shot for the Broncos in the first meeting.

BYU (6) vs. Utah Valley

If you don’t follow the day-to-day of college soccer, this match on the list could be a surprise. Even with a rather large enrollment, Utah Valley is relatively unknown in the sports world, only being in the Western Athletic Conference for nine years. So they probably just had a cinderella season and are massive underdogs against the more prominent school 15 minutes away, right? Not so fast.

History Made🤩⚽️#GoUVU #UVU #ProtectTheDen #D1 #soccer #soccergirls #gametime #utah #college #athlete #explore #sports #win #WAC #NCAA #victory pic.twitter.com/7kBuUAbMJd

— UVU Women's Soccer (@UVUwsoc) September 12, 2022

In September, they stunned the then-ranked 13th Cougars with a 4-2 victory that sparked national attention. That win was the highest-ranked win in UVU’s history and was the highlight of a 13-4-4 season for the Wolverines. This game has local appeal but an intriguing David vs. Goliath subplot. It would be hard to imagine BYU would drop multiple games against a school in its shadow, but the tournament is full of surprises.

Arizona State vs. Portland (8)

Despite Portland being the higher seed, many would have Arizona State as the favorite in this west coast duel. The Pilots earned an at-large bid but have not played their best soccer over the last month. They lost three of their last six conference games, including blowout defeats against Santa Clara and BYU. Their unbeaten run to start the season and a tough out-of-conference slate earned them a place in the dance, which included three draws against Pac-12 opponents.

No one better 🔱😈⚽️

Nicole Douglas is the Pac-12 Soccer Forward of the Year 🔥#ForksUp /// #O2V pic.twitter.com/dBURhz8qND

— Sun Devil Soccer (@SunDevilSoccer) November 8, 2022

The Sun Devils team’s success revolves around the Pac-12 forward of the year and super senior Nicole Douglas. The talented striker is a professional goal scorer, as no one put the ball in the back of the net more times last season than her. She can score with both feet and is a high-volume shooter, as she can get shots up at will. Despite these teams being close in quality, if Arizona State can get the win, a player like Douglas can give them a better chance of making noise deep in the tournament.

Pittsburgh (4) vs. Buffalo

If there were one team that captured the hearts of many this season, it would be the Pitt Panthers. Slated to finish tenth in the ACC Preseason coaches poll, no one expected this team to be relevant in November.

Even with coach Randy Waldrum turning the ship around, they play in arguably the best conference in America which seemed to be a hurdle too grand to overcome. Until now. The Panthers had a season for the ages, winning the most games in program history, earning their first-ever bid to the tournament.

Leaving a 𝙇𝙀𝙂𝘼𝘾𝙔!

For the first time in program history, we are heading to the NCAA Tournament!💃#H2P pic.twitter.com/EnmpRH73tS

— Pitt Women's Soccer (@Pitt_WSOC) November 7, 2022

If there’s one team that doesn’t care about Pittsburgh’s inspiring run, it’s the Buffalo Bulls. They have been utterly dominant this season, as they went on a 17-match unbeaten streak to finish their season, a program record. Their only loss on the season was a one-goal defeat at #24 Rutgers back in August.

Despite their dominance, they didn’t receive a single vote in the recent United Soccer Coaches Poll. The Bulls could be a sleeping giant in plain sight and give any team a run for their money. The winner of this game has a great chance to advance from the NCAA round of 64 and reach the College Cup for a shot at a national title.

Featured image via @calwsoc on Instagram

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