Bruin Bites: Mora on the Hot Seat

It was a very tough weekend for many of UCLA’s Fall sports. We all know about football, and Head Coach Jim L. Mora must be considered to be on the hot seat, but several other programs did not secure the results that they had hoped for this past weekend. Let’s take a look at the good and the bad in today’s Bruin Bites. Starting with the bad . . .

Jim L. Mora on The Hot Seat

Jim L. Mora, who engineered UCLA’s first losing record since 2011, is on the hot seat according to CampusInsiders.com and Coacheshotseat.com. The former website also acknowledges that Mora will likely stay at UCLA at least another season because of the ridiculous buyout. Thanks again, Dan!

Game Over for Men’s Soccer

The UCLA Men’s Soccer season is over, as the Bruins fell to Louisville in overtime, 2-1. Although there is no shame in losing to a quality side like Louisville in a cold setting far from home, UCLA (10-8-2) underachieved in the regular season, resulting in a very tough draw.

After the game, Louisville’s head coach praised the Bruins’ ability to pass the ball. Fans of the program know that that is not the issue with this team. The issues are finishing in the final third, defending in the opening minutes of the game, and poor defending on set pieces.

So UCLA fails to make the Sweet Sixteen. This is the second season in a row that UCLA had a poor season relative to expectations, and if anyone other than Dan Guerrero was in charge of UCLA athletics, Head Coach Jorge Salcedo would either be gone or on the hot seat.

Men’s Water Polo Falls to Southern Cal (Again)

The UCLA Men’s Water Polo team lost to Southern Cal for the second time in eight days, this time at home in the MPSF Championship game, 9-6. The Trojans came out of the gate quickly, building a 3-0 lead in the first quarter. UCLA was not able to get back in the game, as the teams each scored 2 goals apiece over the final three periods.

Southern Cal has secured the top seed in the NCAA Tournament, with UCLA stationed on the other side of the bracket. On Saturday, December 3rd, UCLA will play the winner of U.C. Berkeley vs. Pomono-Pitzer. The final is on December 4th.

Women’s Soccer’s Season Ends on PKs in the Snow at #1 West Virginia

The UCLA Women’s Soccer season also came to an end yesterday, falling to top ranked West Virginia (21-1-2) on penalty kicks.

The Bruins (15-5-2) fell to the best team in the nation on the road and in the snow. And they made it to penalty kicks, where they were outclassed, 4-2. The game goes into the book as a 1-1 tie, but West Virginia moves on to the Elite Eight. Jessie Fleming got the Bruins into OT with goal in the 89th minute.

There is more reason for optimism surrounding UCLA Women’s soccer than there is for the men’s program. UCLA made it to the Sweet Sixteen, have several freshman stars in Fleming, Anika Rodriguez, Sunny Dunphy, and Teagan Michah, and expect USWNT sensation Mallory Pugh to join the team in 2017. Head Coach Amanda Cromwell has this team pointed in the right direction.

UCLA Women’s Volleyball Sweeps Oregon Schools; Washington Looms

The UCLA Women’s volleyball team (23-5) is on a five game winning streak, most recently beating Oregon State in straight sets at Pauley Pavillion and topping Oregon, 3-1, at the John Wooden Center. UCLA is tied with Washington for first place in the PAC 12 with identical 14-4 records.

The Bruins and Huskies will show down on Wednesday, November 23, at 7 p.m in Seattle for at least a share of the conference title. The game will he shown on the PAC 12 Networks. UCLA then finishes the regular season at home against Southern Cal this Saturday.

UCLA Women’s Basketball Dispatches Cal Poly

The UCLA Women's Basketball team (4-1) beat Cal Poly yesterday at Pauley, 80-64. UCLA led 70-42 through three quarters but went ice cold in the 4th, shooting 20% from the field, which allowed the Mustangs to make the score more respectable.

UCLA's Jordin Canada missed a triple double by one assist, dropping nine dimes, to go with 19 points and 10 boards.

Next up for the Bruins is the Cancun Challenge, where UCLA will first face Iowa on Thanksgiving.

Let’s hope for a better week of UCLA sports this week. Thanks for reading today’s Bruin Bites!

Go Bruins!!!