What’s Bruin: It’s a Soccer Heavy Monday Morning

What’s Bruin this morning in the world of UCLA sports?

We all know that the football team suffered another loss this weekend, dropping them to 0-5 for the first time since 1943. There were many positives to take from that game, but that is for a different article.

This one is about what happened in the other UCLA sports this weekend. And there was a lot of soccer, including Bruins on the USWNT, so let’s get started.

UCLA WOMEN’S SOCCER

After soundly beating Arizona State, 3-1, on Thursday night to kick off a doubleheader with the Men’s team, the #17 UCLA Women’s soccer team hosted the other team from the desert, the Arizona Wildcats, on Sunday afternoon, this time in the second half of a doubleheader with the Men.

After a bit of a slow start by the Bruins, who were tied 0-0 at the half and outshot, 6-5, by the Wildcats, UCLA struck quickly in the second half. Olivia Athens redirected a cross from Kennedy Faulker into the right side netting in the 49th minute, putting UCLA up 1-0. The Bruins put the match away in the 86th minute, on a goal by Viviana Villacorta that the goalie got a piece of, but not enough to keep it out of the net.

Teagan Micah earned the clean sheet for the Bruins (8-3-1, 3-2 PAC 12).

Although no announcement on her status has been made, Anika Rodriguez, who went down on Thursday night with what appeared to be a knee injury, notably did not play against the Wildcats.

UCLA only has one game this week, at Washington on Friday evening.

UCLA MEN’S SOCCER

It was a good weekend for the Men’s Soccer team as well. The Bruins earned a pair of 1-0 victories over the northern schools in the 6 team PAC 12 Men’s Soccer Conference, putting the Bruins (7-4, 3-1 PAC 12) into second place behind Stanford.

On Thursday, Milan Iloski curled home a free kick from outside the top of the box in the 23rd minute, and that was all UCLA would need against the Washington Huskies. Freshman, Justin Garces, who appears to have taken over the starting job from senior Cole Martinez, made four saves, preserving the clean sheet.

On Sunday, UCLA dominated Oregon State, who did not register a single shot on goal. After numerous missed opportunities, UCLA got its single tally from senior midfielder Kiki Poleo, who placed a low shot against the grain, off the bottom of left post, and into the net. Garces did not have to make a save in earning the clean sheet.

The Bruins head to Loyola Marymount on Saturday for their next contest.

UNITED STATES WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM

The USWNT started three Bruins yesterday—four if your count Mallory Pugh and, although I love her game, she never played a game for UCLA so I do not consider her to be a Bruin—in their World Cup Qualifying match versus Panama, a 5-0 thrashing.

Current Bruin, Hailie Mace, started up top alongside USWNT legend, Carli Lloyd (what a cool experience for Mace!) and, although Mace did not score, Lloyd registered a hat trick. Mace played the full 90 minutes.

Another Bruin and member of UCLA’s 2013 championship team, Samantha Mewis, started the game and got things started quickly for the USWNT with a beautiful header off a corner kick to put the USWNT up 1-0 in the 5th minute. Mewis’ teammate in ‘13 with UCLA, Abby Dahlkemper, also started and played a perfectly weighted through ball to Christen Press on the breakaway. Press converted, with the assist going to Dahlkemper.

All in all, it was a nice showing by current and past Bruins for the USWNT yesterday.

UCLA WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

The UCLA Women’s Volleyball team beat Oregon State in straight sets on Saturday (25-18, 25-16, 25-19). The #17 Bruins were really not challenged by the Beavers (10-8, 0-6 PAC 12), who have yet to record a conference win. The Bruins were led by Mac May (13 kills) and Alexis Light (10 kills).

UCLA is 8-5, 3-3 in the PAC 12. Next up for the Bruins are the Arizona schools at Pauley Pavilion, with Arizona State coming to town on Wednesday, and Arizona on Friday.

UCLA MEN’S WATER POLO

The #2 Men’s Water Polo team took care of business at UCLA’s Spieker Aquatics Center on Saturday, beating San Jose State by the score of 11-8, to remain undefeated on the season.

UCLA jumped out to a 3-1 lead at the end of the first quarter, but the Spartans outplayed the Bruins in the 2nd quarter, tying the game 5-5 at the half. UCLA regrouped during the break, and outscored SJSU 4-1 in the critical 3rd quarter.

It was a true team effort for the Bruins, with seven players scoring UCLA’s eleven goals, and with no player tallying more than two.

And that is What’s Bruin on this Monday, October 6th. Go Bruins!