Just when it seemed a membership drive was imminent, the exclusive club that is home to champions of Division I women's soccer kept its doors closed for yet another year.

North Carolina continued its staggering title run by capturing a 16th Division I Women's Soccer Championship, this time rallying to defeat UCLA, 2-1, at the Women's College Cup in San Jose, California. The Tar Heels have appeared in all but one of the 19 women's title games.

"We're absolutely thrilled to win this championship," said North Carolina coach Anson Dorrance. "Especially considering some of the hits we took during the regular season. I was also excited about the quality of the final. I think we beat an excellent UCLA team. In a lot of respects, it was like playing ourselves."

Two goals in the final 15 minutes rallied the champions, who needed a similar rally in the semifinal win over top-seeded Notre Dame. That game saw the Tar Heels score twice in the last 25 minutes.

But the stunning difference in the title game was an own-goal into the UCLA net during the 83rd minute. With momentum clearly in its corner following a tying goal six minutes earlier, North Carolina challenged again with nine minutes left when an Alyssa Ramsey shot went out of bounds off a UCLA defender to set up the first of two successive North Carolina corner kicks. After the second try, the Tar Heels' Catherine Reddick stole a pass and served a ball into the UCLA box in the direction of teammates Leslie Gaston and Kalli Kamholz. Instead, the ball split the difference and caromed off the calf of Bruins defender Krista Boling, going into the net for a 2-1 North Carolina lead that proved to be the difference.

That own-goal was just the second in Women's College Cup history. Ironically, North Carolina also was involved in the first, an own-goal against the Tar Heels in the 1995 semifinals that allowed Notre Dame to advance and win the national championship.

"I told them we would get our chance in the remaining 20 minutes and not to panic," Dorrance said of the stretch run. "Twenty minutes is a long time and (we needed to) make sure the chances we created we finished."

North Carolina, 21-3, scored the equalizer in the 75th minute when a charging Meredith Florance blasted in a tap pass from Ramsey to even the score at one apiece. Ramsey was set up originally on a feed from Danielle Borgman.

The Tar Heels posted the first scoring chance of the second half when Anne Remy shot the ball just over the crossbar from five yards in front of the net.

UCLA came up with a dangerous chance off a corner kick by Bethany Bogart, but after North Carolina goalkeeper Jenni Branam caught and cleared the ball, Florance dribbled it the length of the field for a shot on goal.

The Bruins, 19-4-1, broke the scoreless deadlock in the 54th minute after Branam came out to stop a shot by Stephanie Rigamat, but was unable to hold on to the ball. Greco pounced on the loose ball in the crease and punched it in to give UCLA the lead.

"I'm extremely proud of my team's performance," said UCLA coach Jillian Ellis. "I thought they battled hard. It was tough for us to play how we like to play because of the great pressure Carolina put us under."

For the first time all season, UCLA was outshot (14-3). It also was the first time the Bruins allowed more than one goal in a game.

Florance and Reddick earned offensive and defensive most outstanding player honors, respectively. Other Tar Heels on the all-tournament team were Borgman, Walker, Kluegel and Kim Patrick. UCLA's Venus James and Karissa Hampton made the team, as did Meotis Erickson, Liz Wagner and Amy Warner of Notre Dame; and Cheryl Loveless and Lauren Orlandos of Portland.

Semifinals

First half: ND -- Amy Warner (Meotis Erikson), 19:48.

Second half: NC -- Kim Patrick (Jena Kluegel), 65:11; Jordan Walker (unassisted), 82:33.

Shots: North Carolina 11, Notre Dame 4. Goalkeeper saves: North Carolina (Jenni Branam) 0, Notre Dame (Liz Wagner) 4. Corner kicks: North Carolina 14, Notre Dame 3. Fouls: North Carolina 19, Notre Dame 24.

Second half: UCLA -- Stephanie Rigamat (Venus James), 76:27.

Shots: Portland 6, UCLA 12. Goalkeeper saves: Portland (Cheryl Loveless) 7, UCLA (CiCi Paterson) 4. Corner kicks: Portland 5, UCLA 2. Fouls: Portland 7, UCLA 17.

Championship

Second half: UCLA -- Lindsay Greco (unassisted), 53:37; NC -- Meredith Florance (Alyssa Ramsey, Danielle Borgman), 75:11; NC -- Own-goal, 82:18.

Shots: UCLA 3, North Carolina 14. Goalkeeper saves: UCLA (CiCi Peterson) 5, North Carolina (Jenni Branam) 0. Corner kicks: UCLA 2, North Carolina 12. Fouls: UCLA 13, North Carolina 9.