UCLA and Cal are streaking right now. The difference is, one team will look to continue its streak while the other tries to break out.
After two straight losses, the No. 17 UCLA men’s soccer team (6-3-1, 2-1-0 Pac-12) has righted the ship with two key conference wins, including a 1-0 victory over then No. 13 San Diego State (6-2-3, 1-1-1 Pac-12).
Now, the Bruins delve deeper into the Pac-12 and their three-game road trip, as they take on the Cal Bears (4-4-2, 0-2-1 Pac-12) Thursday afternoon.
Cal’s three recent games have ended in losses – loss against Stanford and Washington, and a tie against Oregon State.
Meanwhile, part of the reason UCLA has turned things around may be the mix-up with goalies.
For the entire season, redshirt senior Juan Cervantes started for the Bruins and has allowed less than one goal per game. However, since an 1-0 loss to Cal Poly and a 4-0 blowout against Washington, UCLA has opted to go with Kevin Silva.
The freshman from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, has played well thus far in his young career, notching two shutouts.
Last season, these two UC powerhouses met twice. In the first meeting, UCLA blew Cal away with a 6-0 victory but was unable to replicate the performance two games later as the Bruins fell 4-3.
Two of the main contributors to Cal’s win last season were then junior and redshirt sophomore forward/midfielders Christian Thierjung and Jose Carrera-Garcia. This season, these two have continued to heavily contribute.
Carrera-Garcia has been especially integral to the Bears’ high powered offense. The now redshirt junior has recorded a team-leading eight goals while Thierjung is tied for second with four.
The Bruins have three goal leaders with three apiece, redshirt junior and sophomore midfielders Brian Iloski and Jose Hernandez as well as junior forward Abu Danladi.
[Related: Men’s soccer finding success with strong midfield]
Iloski leads UCLA in total points with nine but sophomore midfielder Jackson Yueill comes in a close second with eight. However, Yueill gets his points through his knack for finding the right player at the right time for an assist.
Yueill is tied for ninth in assists in the national rankings with six, and tied for fifth in assists per game at .60.
Regardless of the outcome of Thursday’s game at Cal, UCLA will have another opportunity to prove its superiority, or gain redemption, on Oct. 20 when the Bears come to Drake Stadium.