Pressure and a waning second-half clock have continually brought out the best of UCLA’s soccer.
In an upset of then-No. 15 Washington, freshmen midfielders Jose Hernandez and Jackson Yueill scored three combined goals in the second half and overtime to propel the unranked Bruins past the Huskies.
Despite injuries, growing pains and a raw game plan, UCLA men’s soccer (5-5-0, 1-1-0 Pac-12) has consistently controlled the second half – outshooting its opponents 96 to 60.
But the Bruins have yet to piece together a complete game, struggling across the field with everything from goalkeeping to getting shots to staying focused.
Coach Jorge Salcedo hopes that a new system, one that took eight games to tweak and perfect, will solve UCLA’s woes.
“The first games, we were consistently scoring then consistently giving up goals then consistently having mental lapses,” Salcedo said. “But, I wouldn’t change what’s happened to us – now we’ve got the best system, the one that’ll give us the most success in this second half of the season.”
With only nine regular season games left, coaches and players alike believe that they can redeem a lackluster season with their talent and experience.
Hernandez and Yueill have stepped up for the Bruins, tallying the team’s last five goals. But the freshmen duo stated that early losses and struggles acclimating to college soccer are behind them.
“Pac-12’s are our first goal and we have to start winning if we want to win the Pac-12.” Hernandez said. “Anything else than a win is a failure for us.”
After splitting its opening weekend of Pac-12 play with a win at Washington and a 1-0 loss at unranked Oregon State (7-3-0, 2-0-0), UCLA looks to increase focus in both its offense and its defense.
With the freshmen midfielders settling into the void left by former UCLA star Leo Stolz, the Bruins have turned their focus to their goalkeeper.
Recent graduate Earl Edwards Jr. logged over 2000 minutes during the 2014 season, but this season has lacked such consistency.
Testing out three different players, including redshirt freshman Pepe Barroso Silva and redshirt junior Juan Cervantes, Salcedo and his staff are still settling on one keeper to anchor the defense.
UCLA returns to Drake Stadium next week to test its system against three conference opponents including No. 3 Stanford (8-1-0, 1-0-0) and unranked Cal (5-3-0, 0-1-0). With their backs against the wall, the Bruins have to battle for every point available if they want to claw their way back into the postseason.
Compiled by Tuanh Dam, Bruin Sports contributor.