The UCLA women’s soccer team came out firing in the second half of Sunday’s game against the University of San Diego and tallied three goals for a 3-0 win that gave the team momentum as they open Pac-10 play next weekend.
The No. 3 Bruins (9-0-2) also dispatched of Pepperdine (4-6-2), 1-0 on Friday, before rebounding from a slow start Sunday against the No. 19 Toreros to get their second win of the weekend.
“I’m extremely pleased,” coach Jill Ellis said of the weekend’s results. “Not just getting the results ““ but I think … we played very well, our possession was good, we scored some really great goals, and it’s good to have that feeling. That’s what we talked about, creating that feeling as we go into conference.”
After going without a goal the entire first half against San Diego, the Bruins struck quickly to open the second half. Twenty-four seconds in, the Bruins charged straight down the field, and after a scrum of activity with the ball in the box, the ball rebounded off junior Kara Lang, and junior Kristina Larsen was there to put it away for a score.
The Bruins continued creating chances the rest of the way, and might have scored more than three if it wasn’t for the stellar play of USD goalkeeper Britany Cannon. Cannon had eight saves on the day, including one on a penalty kick in the first half.
Senior Christina DiMaritno netted an unassisted goal from 15 feet in the 61st minute thanks to a great individual dribbling effort. UCLA added its third goal due to a well-placed shot from junior Lauren Wilmoth after junior Lauren Cheney found Wilmoth with a pass as she was streaking down the right side in transition.
This offensive outburst was exactly what the Bruins were looking for after a 0-0 tie against Santa Clara a week ago and a tight struggle against Pepperdine on Friday. The Bruins only goal on Friday night came off the right foot of Cheney, who scored from the top of the box off in the fifth minute of the game.
“Today we took advantage of our opportunities,” senior midfielder McCall Zerboni said. “In the first half we were struggling a little bit; we went in, talked about it, and executed.”
Cheney said the team was happy to win both games.
“Pepperdine and San Diego are always really close regional battles for us,” Cheney said. “We finished off San Diego, who is a top-20 team. That was a big game for us.”
The win marks the 10th consecutive shutout for the Bruins as they head into Pac-10 play on Friday.
ELLIS WINS NO. 200: With Friday’s win over Pepperdine, UCLA women’s soccer coach Jill Ellis recorded her 200th career coaching victory.
Ellis, who is in her 10th season with the Bruins, arrived in Westwood after two years at the helm of the University of Illinois program.
“It’s not something I ever kept track of,” Ellis said of her number of wins.
“It’s nice, but it’s a credit to the players and the staff. I’m not big for personal stuff. Looking back it makes me look at some of the players who have come though the program, and it just makes me thankful for them.”