On the edge of the right corner of the penalty box stood three Bruins: Senior defender Abby Dahlkemper, senior midfielder Sam Mewis and senior defender Megan Oyster, each with a Lion defender in tow.
On the left side of the field was senior midfielder Sarah Killion. With a dead ball in front of her feet, she took several paces back and looked poised to deliver the ball to the far post to give one of those three teammates an opportunity to send a header towards the goal. But out of the corner of her eye, she saw another option.
A quick, low, outswinging cross to the near post connected with senior forward Rosie White’s outstretched left foot. And that was how the first of four goals in No. 1 UCLA’s 4-1 win over LMU at Drake Stadium was scored.
“Sarah and I are always looking for the short, tricky option,” White said. “I saw the front post was completely open, and so did she. I sort of gave her the eye, and she knew to play it there, and she knew that I was going to run there.”
The midfield general’s goal-creating ability came into play once again in the 62nd minute. Dahlkemper drew several LMU players toward her before passing the ball to Killion, giving the midfielder one thing that every playmaker wants: space.
With the freedom to make a killer pass, Killion launched a long through ball a third the length of the field before it landed in front of an advancing Zoey Goralksi. The right back skipped the ball past a charging Lion goalkeeper to score the Bruins’ third, which was also the first of her collegiate career.
“Sarah played a great ball, and all I had to do was a one-touch finish,” the redshirt freshman said. “After, I was obviously really excited. First collegiate goal – I just can’t describe the feeling.”
While the co-captain’s ability to see goal-scoring runs before they happen has benefited her in making crucial game-changing plays, it’s not the only reason that explains what makes Killion so effective.
Her feet can also execute the plays that her mind can envision.
“Any time the ball’s at her feet, we’re dangerous,” said coach Amanda Cromwell. “Her vision is so good – her ability to pass the ball with different kinds of spin, the texture, the weight of the serve. We want the ball in her feet as much as possible.”
While Killion’s first two assists were a display of her ability to play the long ball, she showed in the 67th minute that she wasn’t afraid to try the short option either. A quick flick played junior Taylor Smith into space, giving the forward a chance to compose herself before scoring UCLA’s (8-0-1) final goal of the night against LMU (5-2-1).
And with that third assist, Killion tied the UCLA single-game assist record.
“I actually didn’t even know until I got off the field,” Killion said. “It’s an honor to go down the books with some great players who’ve already done that in the past. The next step with this team is what I’m always looking forward to.”
And whenever Killion has the ball, her teammates’ next step might be one that takes them closer to scoring a goal.