Nick Perera had a goal and an assist and unseeded UC Santa Barbara beat UCLA, 2-1, at St. Louis yesterday to win the school's second national title and finish off a surprising postseason run.

The Gauchos began the season 7-6 and dropped some games that coach Tim Vom Steeg thought his team should have won. He told his players to prepare for major changes if the season did not turn around immediately and the Gauchos (17-7-1) responded by losing just one of their final 12 games.

"I don't exaggerate," Vom Steeg said. "We were really done with this group. We thought this group wouldn't have what it takes to win a league championship, much less win a league playoff game, much less win a national championship."

Perera banged the Gauchos' first shot off the left post and into the UCLA goal to make it 1-0 less than 3 minutes into the game. The Gauchos took a 2-0 lead in the second half. Perera collected a pass in the UCLA box from Bryan Byrne and flicked the ball to an open Eric Avila, who slid it into the bottom left corner of the goal.

Jason Leopoldo, of the Bruins (14-6-4), scored to make it 2-1 with 11:04 left.

UC Santa Barbara won its first national title since the school won the men's water polo championship in 1979.

NCAA WOMEN

18TH TITLE FOR TAR HEELS

Freshman Casey Nogueira had a goal and an assist and senior Heather O'Reilly also scored to lead North Carolina past Notre Dame, 2-1, at Cary, N.C., winning the NCAA soccer championship for the 18th time.

It was the fourth time the Tar Heels (27-0-1) have beaten the Irish (25-1-1) in the title game.

Nogueira's goal in the second half was a header inside the left post, giving the Tar Heels a 2-0 lead.

Notre Dame's Brittany Bock scored on a header off an assist from forward Kerri Hanks in the 81st minute.