The Denver Summit and the Washington Spirit played to a scoreless draw on Saturday before a record National Women's Soccer League crowd of 63,004 fans at the home of the NFL's Denver Broncos.
In other action around the league, the Utah Royals held on for a 2-1 victory over the Boston Legacy; and the Portland Thorns downed the Kansas City Current 2-0; the Seattle Reign beat Racing Louisville 2-1 in Spokane, Washington; Bay FC dominated the North Carolina Courage on the road 3-1; and the San Diego Wave defeated the visiting Chicago Stars 2-0.
The Summit (1-1-2) broke the NWSL attendance record of 40,091 set last season in a Bay FC match at San Francisco's Oracle Park.
Denver goalkeeper Abby Smith and Spirit counterpart Sandy MacIver each made two saves to preserve their clean sheets. It was Smith's second straight shutout.
The Spirit (0-1-3) have yet to win this season.
Olivia Moultrie converted a penalty kick in the 53rd minute and the Thorns went on to defeat the Current 2-0 at Providence Park in Portland.
Moultrie, 20, became the youngest player to score 20 league goals, breaking Sam Kerr’s record set in 2016.
Reilyn Turner added a goal for the Thorns (3-1-0) in the 63rd minute.
The Current (1-3-0) continue to struggle without two-time NWSL MVP Temwa Chawinga, who is out for the season with a hip injury.
Thorns forward Sophia Wilson made her first start of the season in her return from maternity leave.
Tatumn Milazzo returned from a one-game red card suspension to score her second goal of the season and help the Royals beat the winless Legacy.
Milazzo scored on a tap-in in the 33rd minute to give Utah (1-2-1) the lead. Mina Tanaka drew a penalty in the 49th minute and Lara Prasnikar converted to go up 2-0.
Aissata Traoré scored in the 72nd minute to close the gap for Boston (0-3-0).
Maddie Mercado and Nérilia Mondésir scored first-half goals to lead the Seattle Reign (3-1-0) to another win at One Spokane Stadium.
In the 10th minute, Mercado scored for the second consecutive game. Initially, her shot was saved by Racing Louisville goalkeeper Jordyn Bloomer, but it slipped through her hands and rolled into the goal.
Mondésir added a goal in the 42nd minute for her first of the season.
Late in second half stoppage time, Louisville rookie Macy Blackburn scored her first professional goal to close the margin.
Louisville (0-2-1) has allowed two goals this season.
Bay FC (2-0-1) had three first-half goals to hand the Courage (1-1-1) their first loss of the season.
Alex Pfeiffer opened the scoring in the 20th minute on a left-footed shot past Courage goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan.
Keira Barry scored her first NWSL goal to double the lead 2-0 in the 30th.
Dorian Bailey headed home the third goal in the 34th minute, with an assist from Pfeiffer.
Manaka Matsukubo scored in the 65th.
It was Bay’s first road win since a 1-0 victory over North Carolina last April 19, which was their only victory away from home last season.
Rookie Lia Godfrey scored for the third straight game to give the San Diego Wave (3-1-0) their third straight win.
San Diego outshot the Stars 12-0 and had 60% possession in the first half.
Godfrey opened the scoring in the 56th minute
Melanie Barcenas came in as a sub in the 62nd minute and scored 10 minutes later.
The Stars (1-3-0) did not record their first shot until the 70th minute.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Washington Spirit forward Claudia Martinez, left, heads the ball as Denver Summit FC midfielder Devin Lynch, front right, and defender Megan Reid cover in the second half of an NWSL soccer match, Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Summit FC forward Melissa Kossler, right, tries to head the ball into the net as Washington Spirit defender Esme Morgan covers in the second half of an NWSL soccer match Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Summit FC forward Yazmeen Ryan, right, drives past Washington Spirit defender Lucia Di Guglielmo in the second half of an NWSL soccer match Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Arizona is headed back to the Final Four for the first time in 25 years after the top-seeded Wildcats got 20 points from freshman Koa Peat to beat Purdue 79-64 in the NCAA Tournament's West Region final on Saturday night.
After years of disappointment in March, coach Tommy Lloyd has gotten Arizona (36-2) back to being a championship contender thanks to a talented freshman class led by Peat to go along with veterans like Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley.
“Just being a kid from Arizona, to take this team to a Final Four, man, it’s a blessing,” said Peat, who was named the region's Most Outstanding Player. “I’m proud of these guys. We worked for this. We’re not done yet.”
The Wildcats showed they can win in almost any style. They used a nearly flawless performance on offense to beat Arkansas in the Sweet 16 and then shut down one of the nation's most efficient offenses against second-seeded Purdue (30-9).
Arizona frustrated the NCAA record-holder in assists, Braden Smith, and prevented his fellow four-year seniors Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer from getting into a rhythm. Purdue was held to its second-lowest point total of the season and shot just 38% from the field.
Arizona used an 16-3 run early in the second half to erase a seven-point halftime deficit and take a six-point lead on a 3-pointer from Anthony Dell’Orso. The Wildcats stayed in control from there. Brayden Burries hit a 3-pointer, and after a turnover by Smith, Ivan Kharchenkov made a layup for an 11-point lead.
Peat put the exclamation point on the win with dunk that made it 68-55 with less than six minutes remaining, sending the Wildcats to Indianapolis next week on a 13-game winning streak.
“We had a little bad stretch at the end of the first half,” Lloyd said. “These guys, winning’s in their DNA. Like I always say, they’re way better players than I am a coach. I’m so proud of them.”
The trip to the Final Four is a long-awaited one for the Wildcats, who last made it to that stage in 2001 when they lost the title game to Duke under Lute Olson. They had lost five straight times in the Elite Eight since — tied for the second-longest skid ever in that round — under the three coaches who followed Olson after he retired in 2007.
Lloyd replaced Sean Miller in 2021, and this year's Wildcats have set the school's single-season record for wins en route to the Final Four.
“There’s a good-looking guy with white hair looking down at us right now that’s happy,” Lloyd said.
Kharchenkov scored 18 points for Arizona, while Bradley and Burries each scored 14.
Purdue withstood an early push from Arizona and quieted the large contingent of Wildcats fans with a strong finish to the first half. Smith returned from a rare five-minute stint on the bench to hit his third 3-pointer of the half. He set up C.J. Cox for a 3 and then drew an offensive foul before firing up the Boilermakers fans. Purdue led 38-31 to match Arizona’s largest halftime deficit of the season.
But the Boilermakers wilted in the second half as the senior trio that began their careers losing in the opening round as a No. 1 seed to Fairleigh Dickinson in 2023 and lost the title game the following year to UConn couldn't get back to the Final Four.
Smith scored 13 points, Kaufman-Renn had 10 and Loyer just eight. The three combined to shoot 12 for 38 from the field.
Arizona will take on the winner of Sunday’s game between Michigan and Tennessee in the national semifinals Saturday.
AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
Arizona forward Ivan Kharchenkov reacts after scoring during the second half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Purdue, Saturday, March 28, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Kelley L Cox)
Purdue guard Braden Smith (3) walks off the court after a loss to Arizona in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 28, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Arizona forward Ivan Kharchenkov (8) reacts as Arizona takes a lead over Purdue during the second half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 28, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Kelley L Cox)
Arizona guard Bryce James (6), forward Koa Peat, center, and guard Brayden Burries celebrate after a win over Purdue in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 28, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Kelley L Cox)
Arizona forward Koa Peat (10) dunks during the second half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Purdue, Saturday, March 28, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Kelley L Cox)
