UCLA
Stanford
Pac-10 Champions!
November 02, 2008 | Men's Soccer
Nov. 2, 2008
Los Angeles, Calif. - UCLA clinched the 2008 Pac-10 title and will receive the conference's automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament after a 2-0 win over Stanford on Sunday afternoon. Senior Maxwell Griffin scored both goals for the Bruins in the second half, and goalkeeper Brian Perk recorded the shutout, UCLA's sixth consecutive.
The Bruins broke a scoreless tie at 51:23 when Griffin volleyed a pass from David Estrada into the back of the net from the right side. Eder Arreola was also credited with an assist. Arreola and Griffin teamed up again at 71:20 to double up UCLA's lead. After receiving a pass from Arreola, Griffin fired a shot to the left corner from inside the top of the box, beating Stanford goalkeeper John Moore to record his team-leading ninth goal of the year.
UCLA's defense shut down the Cardinal, allowing just five shots on the day. Three of those shots were saved by Perk, who earned his seventh shutout of the season. Moore finished with three saves on 10 Bruin shots.
With the win, UCLA improves to 8-4-6 overall and 6-1-2 in the Pac-10. The Bruins are unbeaten in six straight games and in 12 of their last 13 games. Stanford drops to 3-10-2 overall, 1-5-1 in the Pac-10. UCLA has already totaled 20 points in conference play with one game remaining and can do no worse than a tie for first with Washington, who the Bruins have defeated twice this season. UCLA's conference title is its sixth in the nine years of Pac-10 men's soccer.
