GCU Women's Rugby, coming off a highly contested 21-17 win over the University of California-Berkeley in their College Rugby Association of America Quarterfinal match on Friday, continued to impress on Sunday, beating the University of Virginia, 14-10, in their Final Four matchup at GCU Soccer Stadium on the GCU campus. The win advances the Lopes to the CRAA National Championship for the first time in program history.

The opening minutes of the match continued the low scoring, physical trend that followed the Lopes throughout the weekend as both teams struggled to break away for any large plays. Cavaliers' forward Carson Crenshaw finally punched in the first try of the match at the 29-minute mark, though the conversion kick was missed.

The Lopes then responded with their own scoring march down the pitch, capped off by an Angel Lucero try and Samantha Garcia conversion kick with just 2:53 remaining in the first half, reinvigorating the home crowd and giving the Lopes a 7-5 lead at the break.

The second half began the same way as neither team could string together enough successful plays in a row to score. Eventually, with 16 minutes remaining, UVA's Mary Lyle Smith pushed her way in for a try at the far-left end of the zone, leaving a difficult conversion kick that was missed, giving the Cavaliers a 10-7 edge.

While it seemed in the stadium air that the momentum may have shifted, the Lopes responded almost immediately by forcing a centerfield scrum and taking the ball from the Virginia offense. What happened after that could surely be heard from the neighboring Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark as Lucero once again scored the go-ahead try with 13 minutes left - only this time from 30 yards out and through four Virginia defenders. Garcia once again nailed the conversion kick, putting the Lopes up 14-10.

The tension of a title-game berth hung in the air for the rest of the match, as the Lopes tried to milk what little remained of the clock and hang on to their mere four-point lead. Giving up the ball with 2 minutes left, GCU tightened up the defense one last time, securing the victory.

The Lopes now hit the road and head to Houston, Texas, to take on the Stanford University Cardinal on May 4 for the national title. Kickoff is scheduled for 2PM Arizona time.