Washington returns to the NCAA tournament for the first time in four years and, after remaining scoreless for the first half, is humbled by UCLA, 5-0. Once Bernardo Ortiz breaks the ice, the Bruins pull away, finishing with a 30-10 advantage in shots. UCLA goes on to face St. Louis in the NCAA final.

A crowd of 12,218 greets the resurrected Tacoma Stars on opening night. The Stars, featuring Schmetzer brothers, Brian, Andy and Walter, lose to Dallas, 6-5, in triple overtime. Peter Ward scores three goals for Tacoma. Walt Schmetzer is stretchered from the field in the fourth quarter with a season-ending knee injury.

Kasey Keller begins the World Cup year by anchoring a nearly impenetrable U.S. backline during the Concacaf Gold Cup. His fourth straight shutout comes in the final vs. Costa Rica, 2-0. Two days earlier he stopped two penalty kicks in the semifinal shootout with Canada (0-0, 4-2). In all, Keller allows just one goal in five starts as the USMNT wins its second regional trophy.

Seattle strikes early, getting goals from Eddie Henderson and Peter Hattrup in the first seven minutes, and Jeff Koch makes a record 12 saves for a 2-1 win over the California Kickers at Tom Bradley Stadium. Both Henderson and Hattrup have scored in three consecutive games.

Michelle Akers, playing a full 90 minutes for the first time in nearly two years, scores three goals and adds an assist in a 7-0 USWNT romp over Denmark in Orlando. It's the the first hat trick since the 1991 World Cup for Akers, who has been recuperating from a bout with Epstein-Barr Syndrome. She has six hat tricks altogether.

Three late second-half goals, including two by Tom Turner, lift Bellevue Community College over South Seattle, 3-1, for the NCSC Community College Division title at Husky Stadium. Tom McDonald puts South ahead early. Bob Cullen also scores for BCC in this precursor to an NWAACC championship.