At Wallis Annenberg Stadium, Los Angeles, on Oct. 27 the UCLA women’s soccer (10-4-3) faced a tie breaking game against cross town rivals USC (7-6-3). Bringing a surprise to many, post Nebraska defeat last Sunday Oct. 19, with a 0-0 tie.
Freshman goalkeeper Daphne Nakfoor plucks a high ball from the air in the first half of the UCLA vs. USC game on Sunday. Despite attempting six shots, no goal was made by the Trojans under Nakfoor's watch. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
The match opened up with UCLA taking possession of the ball. UCLA’s midfielder #3 Laila Edris set the tone for the rivalry game by blocking a total of three shots by USC from the right side of the net at the beginning of the first half. Stagnant passes from UCLA brought the match to a fast foot. USC powered through an off-target shot at the bottom corner of the net, allowing UCLA to take back possession of the ball on their home field.
Forward Leena Powell keeps Bruin possession of the ball. The freshman added dozens of yards to the ball's mileage this Sunday, adding three shots on goal to the Bruins' 19 shot total. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
Midway through the first half continued with blocked shots from USC, blocking the pathway to the net for UCLA. Moments lead to a foul from USC, UCLA’s forward #24 Payten Cooper received a free kick. Bringing in fire of a shot, UCLA’s forward #16 Leena Powell shot off target hitting to the bottom of the net ending the first half with a tie of 0-0.
Bruin Midfielder Emma Egizii attempts a shot in the second half of the game. The closing 45 minutes were filled with tense moments for both teams. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
The second half continued to push UCLA’s determination. UCLA’s forward #23 Kara Croone, totaled six shots, sprinted with power making a shot towards the middle of the net that was blocked by USC’s goal keeper. Quickly following after, UCLA’s Cooper takes a close shot aimed at the bottom of the net, resulting in an off target shot. The game consisted of a back-and-forth with both sides taking shots saved by each of the teams goal keepers.
Senior forward America Frias scouts for an opening. Although rival tensions were high, neither team was able to score in the last regular game of the season. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
The final seconds of the match became a neck-and-neck race down to the final seconds. A collision between the USC goal keeper and USC’s forward #11 America Frias brought a halt to the second half of the match. The UCLA Bruins left with a tie at the end of the second half, ending with 0-0. The Bruins battled with a total of 19 shots, eight fouls, 11 corners and four offsides.
Trojan goalkeeper Bella Grust jumps high to block a shot by the Bruins. Faced with a strong Bruin offense, Grust totaled seven saves in the rivalry game. Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
Despite the hard work put in, UCLA faced support from fans in the crowds and the sidelines. UCLA’s women’s soccer continues to build onto their legacy as Bruins and hope to bring their strengths into the next season.
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Featured Image Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife
