Conference play couldn’t have come soon enough for UCLA women’s soccer, which tumbled all the way from No. 4 in the national preseason rankings to unranked before even beginning its Pac-12 schedule.
The Bruins (5-4-0, 1-0-0 Pac-12) wasted no time beginning their conference title defense Friday, as sophomore forward MacKenzie Cerda scored within the first ten minutes to lift UCLA over Oregon 1-0.
“I thought we started off really well. The first 15 minutes we got the goal. I thought alright, we had some really good possessions,” said coach Amanda Cromwell. “Then they started pressing up and we just kind of lost our rhythm.”
The Ducks (3-6-0, 0-1-0) launched eight shots in the second half, almost capitalizing around the 80th minute. But redshirt freshman goalie Arielle Schechtman preserved the lead for the Bruins, stifling a pair of promising Oregon attacks with multiple quick reactions.
Although the Bruins took the lead early on, they struggled to put shots on goal throughout the match.
“We tried changing our formation to start the second half, and we were more dangerous,” Cromwell said. “But I think with all of our possessions we lacked getting shots, or getting the end line, or getting the corner kick.”
With starting strikers senior Taylor Smith and junior Darian Jenkins sitting out because of a red card and an injury respectively, the Bruins were forced to move redshirt sophomore Zoey Goralski from defender to forward and senior Kodi Lavrusky from midfielder to forward.
UCLA only recorded five total shots on goal compared to Oregon’s 13. In particular, Cromwell expressed frustration with the lack of attack in the first 45 minutes, only taking two shots all period.
“She wanted us to get into the space,” said Cerda. “Like if their defense was up high to play the long ball, for us to run in on it, to just be able to attack more.”
In the second half, the Ducks came out more aggressively, holding the majority of possession, especially early. After an Oregon corner kick near the 60th minute, UCLA was unable to clear the ball, allowing the Ducks five shots in quick succession. Schechtman, in just her second start, was able to block all five.
“As the half was going on, we were getting a little bit more frantic and breaking down a little,” Schechtman said. “I think our team had each other’s backs though and if it wasn’t me, then my defender would have been there to step up.”
In addition to noting her team’s lack of offensive urgency, Cromwell also said the Ducks’ high number of fouls disrupted the Bruins’ focus, a result that seemed intentional.
“Teams that are trying to disrupt our rhythm, they foul us a lot,” Cromwell said. “We can’t get our rhythm when they continue to foul.”
With the offense struggling, the 5-foot-10 Schechtman was forced to step up, making a career-high 10 saves.
“We talked about putting (redshirt junior goalie) Cassie (Sternbach) in at the half today because her communication is better than (Schechtman) and felt we were lacking that verbal communication from (Schechtman) in the first half,” Cromwell said. “But (Schechtman) is such a presence in there with her height. … I still consider them both starters still.”
The Bruins will continue Pac-12 play on Thursday, as they take on the No. 20 Washington Huskies.
Cromwell said she hopes her team will find more attacking success than they did on Friday. With Smith and Jenkins returning to the lineup, it could certainly happen.