After witnessing Santa Clara end the No. 3 UCLA women’s
soccer team’s six-game winning streak just a month ago,
junior Danesha Adams refused to let the Arizona Wildcats hand the
Bruins the same fate on Friday night in Tucson.
The midfielder took matters into her own hands in the second
half on a pass from sophomore teammate Christina DiMartino,
tallying the lone score of the game ““ her third game-winner
in the Bruins’ last four games.
With the win, UCLA (14-2-0, 5-0-0 Pac-10) extended its winning
streak to seven, prior to heading into Tempe on Sunday to face the
Arizona State Sun Devils, where a different Bruin would shine.
Looking to help the Bruins add to their longest winning streak
of the season, freshman Lauren Cheney followed Adams’ recent
heroics with some of her own, scoring twice en route to a 2-1
victory that helped UCLA remain as the only team in the Pac-10
without a conference loss or tie.
Cheney first struck in the 17th minute, with Sun Devil
goalkeeper Kim Bingham out of position after knocking down a ball
crossed in by Bruin defender Lydia Cook, giving UCLA a 1-0
lead.
After dominating possession and outshooting Arizona State 15-2
in the first half, the Bruins came out for the second with a
similar fire.
It only took Cheney a little while longer to give her team a
two-goal lead on a breakaway, where DiMartino tallied yet another
assist.
The Sun Devils’ lone goal came with just 10 minutes left
in the game ““ only the third goal allowed by the Bruins
during their eight-game winning streak.
UCLA now takes on Washington and Washington State in its final
two home games of the regular season, then heads to Oregon before
the postseason.