In its first match of the NCAA women’s soccer tournament, top-seeded UCLA trounced Fresno State, 5-0, in Drake Stadium tonight.
Senior midfielder McCall Zerboni registered the Bruins’ first hat trick of the season. Less than 3 minutes into the match, Zerboni received a dish from redshirt junior forward Kara Lang and took a point-blank shot from the right side into an empty net. Freshmen defender Whitney Sharpe also recorded an assist.
In the 20th minute, Lang launched a cross from near midfield toward the Bulldog goal. Zerboni scored the Bruins’ second goal on a bending shot from the left side to the far post. Junior forward Lauren Cheney was also credited with an assist.
Zerboni scored her third goal of the game in the second half when she drilled a 6-yard shot into the Bulldog net on a Cheney assist in the 54th minute.
“McCall is unbelievable,” Cheney said. “She’s a senior, and she’s going to lead this team to the top.”
Zerboni credited her teammates for her trio of goals.
“I think as a team we came out really strong,” Zerboni said. “It was a team effort. The goals wouldn’t have happened without the support of my team.”
Cheney and Lang also scored a goal apiece in the second half.
In the 59th minute, Cheney received the ball from junior forward Kristina Larsen and fired a shot from the right to the far post. The goal was Cheney’s 10th of the season. Cheney took eight shots on the night. Lang scored on a free kick from outside the top of the box in the 72nd minute.
“Cheney and Lang had a really good offensive night tonight,” Zerboni said. “They were dangerous up there, creating a lot of problems” for the other team.
Despite allowing five goals, Fresno State’s goalkeeper Kaitlyn Revel made 10 saves. Bruin goalkeeper Ashley Thompson made two saves before being substituted by freshman Yiana Dimmitt with 10 minutes remaining in the game.
UCLA outshot Fresno State, taking 26 shots versus the Bulldogs’ five.
The Bruins will continue tournament play in the second round Sunday at Drake Stadium. They will play the winner of a first-round match that pits San Diego against Long Beach State.
“(It) starts with practice tomorrow, so we’re going to come out and try to improve on the things we didn’t do tonight and keep going on Sunday,” Zerboni said.