UCLA men’s soccer fans were finally able to enjoy a game without constantly wiping the sweat off their palms or warily eyeing the clock. It didn’t happen until the tenth and last game of the year, but for the first time in conference play the No. 2 Bruins were able to win by more than one goal.
The Bruins (11-3-4, 6-1-3 Pac-12) handily defeated the San Diego State Aztecs (6-11-2, 2-6-2) 3-0 on Saturday night, by a margin that could have been even greater according to coach Jorge Salcedo.
“It was one of those games that, on a different night, it could have played out like 5-1 or 6-1,” said Salcedo. “It was a comprehensive performance by the guys, very sharp, very professional.”
Every conference game the Bruins had played up until Saturday had either ended in a draw or been decided by a single goal. This time, however, the game was virtually decided after 45 minutes.
The Bruins went into halftime up 2-0 on the backs of goals by freshman forward Gage Zerboni and junior midfielder Leo Stolz. Just in case the Aztecs had any hopes of making a comeback, Stolz iced the game in the 58th minute with his second goal of the match and ninth of the year.
The Bruins looked as fresh as they have all year after a layoff of almost two weeks since their last match. There was always some danger of rustiness, but on Saturday the rest they had taken showed.
“We got our training rhythm right with the layoff that we had,” Salcedo said. “Oftentimes teams come back rusty, but I thought our staff put together the right training; we picked the right days to push the guys.”
The win put the Bruins in first place in the Pac-12 for the time being, but Washington would have a chance to clinch the title with a win the following day. Washington beat Oregon State 1-0 on Sunday, giving it the Pac-12 Championship and keeping the Bruins from winning their third straight title.
Regardless of who took home the trophy, the win on Saturday put the Bruins in an excellent position going into the NCAA tournament.
“I would be very surprised if we’re not a top 4 seed, and whether that’s one or four is neither here nor there,” Salcedo said. “Last year we limped into the playoffs physically, mentally and emotionally. This year we’re ready to go full speed ahead into the playoffs, so we’re pretty excited.