Out with the old and in with the new.
Last season, the Bruins’ goalkeeper situation was in constant flux. But this year, they had seemed to find some consistency in the play of redshirt senior Juan Cervantes.
But now, the No. 24 UCLA men’s soccer team (7-4-1, 3-2-0 Pac-12) has mixed it all up.
A freshman, Kevin Silva, has taken over the starting job. And so far, he’s notched 18 saves and two shutouts in four games.
“Kevin came here as one of the top recruits in the country and he’s had a lot of great youth national team experience,” said coach Jorge Salcedo. “We just felt like his experiences warranted giving him an opportunity.”
As a consistent starter for the U.S. U-17 and U-19 Men’s National teams, Silva earned the Golden Glove award as the 2013 Nike International Friendlies top goalkeeper.
Silva was also ranked as a four-star recruit, and the best goalkeeper in the country by Top Drawer Soccer coming out of high school.
Despite these accolades and high praises from his coach, the freshman out of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was unable to put his skill set to the test because of a broken hand that required surgery.
Silva’s first opportunity would come against Oregon State – the ninth game of the season. In that game he recorded a save and ultimately a shutout. And even though the first start came so late in the season, Silva said he felt capable in his new role.
“(Starting late in the season) has been very comfortable for me,” Silva said. “I knew, coming in, that I wanted to start. So once I got my opportunity I’ve been very confident and comfortable with my position.”
[Related: Men’s soccer scores two goals in two minutes to take down Oregon State]
That confidence has been contagious. After two-thirds of a season with Cervantes between the posts, the rest of the team adapted nicely to the switch.
“Kevin’s a great goalie and he’s been a part of pretty high-level teams in the past,” said sophomore midfielder Jackson Yueill. “He displays his dominant goalkeeping skills so we all have confidence in him and the adjustment (to Silva) hasn’t been bad at all.”
Even though Silva has made a splash in his short time as a starter, Cervantes was playing solidly throughout the season.
The redshirt senior, with the exception of a 4-0 loss to Washington, had never given up more than one goal in a game this season. And overall, had 27 saves to only nine goals allowed.
[Related: Bruins unable to connect in 4-0 collapse against Huskies]
Thus with two very promising options at goalkeeper, Salcedo has the utmost confidence in either to produce.
“Juan is a very capable and talented goalkeeper,” Salcedo said. “So if I do end up making the decision to go with him this season, I’m confident he will do the job for us.”