CARY, N.C. — It was a hectic whirlwind, with two games in three days, as a national championship was crowned for 2013. 

MORE: UCLA beats FSU in OT | U20 hopefuls make case | Bruins run the gauntlet | FSU comes up short

In the end, UCLA proved to be worthy winners, narrowly defeating Florida State in the Sunday’s decider.

Here are three thoughts from the weekend in North Carolina.

1. UCLA finally breaks its duck

This was UCLA’s fourth national title game appearance – first since 2005 – and ninth College Cup trip in program history.

They had never won before. And as an athletic program overall, this season doubled as a quest for the school’s 110 national title.

Junior midfielder Sam Mewis summed it up best, as the Bruins can now put the doubts behind them:

“Women’s soccer at UCLA has never won a national championship, so we felt like we weren’t really a part of [it]. UCLA leads the country in most national championships and we wanted to contribute to that. After baseball won 109 in the spring, it was so cool to witness that and see how awesome it was for them – we know a lot of them – and we wanted to become a part of it and contribute to UCLA and this was our way of doing it. It’s unreal we won our 110th one. We’re so happy.”

2. Florida State and UCLA aren’t going anywhere

Of the 27 players who saw time on the field on Sunday in the title game, only four were seniors – two on each side. Moral of the story? Don’t be surprised to see both these teams back at the 2014 College Cup. Top quality recruiting classes are on their way as well.

The Seminoles lose the two bigger pieces, as defensive stalwart Kassey Kallman graduates alongside goalkeeper Kelsey Wys. There are replacements waiting in the wings for FSU, as U17 WNT veteran Cassie Miller is likely to get a crack at the starting role in goal. Kristin Grubka will be back for her senior year, leading the defense once again.

Jenna Richmond is UCLA’s main departure, and her replacement, Lauren Kaskie, contributed to the title-winning season. That, along with the return of the ultra-talented junior class (Sam Mewis, Sarah Killion, Abby Dahlkemper, Katelyn Rowland) means that the Bruins will no doubt be title favorites heading into 2014.

3. It was a good weekend for women’s college soccer

Friday night was definitely the highlight. Two high-level games in Virginia-UCLA and Florida State-Virginia Tech, packed stands and warm temperatures meant it was a night to remember in Cary.

Along with favorable conditions, the four teams that made it to this point playing entertaining and crisp soccer. There were patchy and physical moments in all three encounters, but even with the stakes high the programs delivered. The Virginia-UCLA matchup lived up to its billing, producing one of the matches of the season. Even the championship game, played in less favorable conditions, defied the normal stereotypes and offered up quality moments.

It’s good to see teams playing more possession-based soccer instead of the more often seen kick-and-chase that the college game is known for on the men’s and women’s side.

Overall, that’s an encouraging trend for women’s college soccer as teams try and continue to play a pivotal role in the game in the United States.

photo credit: nc-soccer.com; USA Today Photo