UCLA
2-1
Florida
3-1
UCLA Falls to Florida in OT Heartbreaker
August 28, 2016 | Women's Soccer
Los Angeles, Calif. - No. 15 UCLA dropped a heartbreaker in overtime to No. 6 Florida, 4-3, at Drake Stadium. The Gators scored the game-winning goal on an own goal after a cross by Savannah Jordan pinged off two Bruin players and then into the back of the net.
Despite the loss, however, the Bruins (2-1) gained a huge advantage over the weekend with the collegiate debut of Olympian Jessie Fleming. After helping Team Canada win bronze in Rio, the freshman arrived on campus on Friday and quickly made an impact in her first game as a Bruin two days later. Fleming scored two goals in the second half, including the tying and go-ahead goals at the time.
It was a back-and-forth affair for much of the game. Florida (3-1) took the early lead at 2:20 on a header by Jordan off a Julia Lester cross. The Bruins countered two minutes later on a header of their own, with Annie Alvarado sending a diving header from a Darian Jenkins cross past Gator goalkeeper Kaylan Mackese for the equalizer. Florida regained the lead at 16:26 on a deflection. Meggie Dougherty-Howard's free kick found the head of Gabby Seiler in the box, and Seiler's shot deflected off Sarah Troccoli into the back of the net.
"They changed things up in the first half," UCLA head coach Amanda Cromwell said. "Their formation was different from what we had scouted. They hadn't played that all year. Credit to their coaches for changing things up and catching us off guard a little bit."
The Bruins regrouped at halftime and came back more aggressive in the second half and had a goal-scoring opportunity by Chloe Castaneda in the 52nd minute halted with a foul in the box. Lauren Kaskie took the penalty kick but was denied by Marckese. Fleming, who had helped set up that penalty kick with some nifty footwork to move the play forward, took matters into her own hands/head in the 65th minute, heading in a cross from Zoey Goralski. Castaneda drew a second penalty kick in the 69th minute with another foul in the box, and Fleming stepped up to the take the penalty kick, calmly giving the Bruins the 3-2 lead.
"I thought we were the better team in the second half, and once we showed our possession and took our time with the ball and showed our attacking style I think it was very good," said Cromwell.
Florida, however, continued to press for the equalizer, and it was Jordan with the header for her second goal of the game to tie it up at 72:57. Jordan played a pivotal role in Florida's game-winner at 95:39, sending in the cross into the box that deflected off two Bruin defenders for the golden goal.That footwork though! ?? @_jessiefleming pic.twitter.com/n1SExNqw86
โ UCLA Women's Soccer (@UCLAWSoccer) August 28, 2016
Bruin goalkeeper Teagan Micah took the loss, her first after posting two shutout victories to start the year. She made a season-high six saves in the contest. Marckese earned the win for the Gators and totaled four saves.
UCLA's schedule doesn't get any easier, as the Bruins host defending NCAA champion Penn State on Friday, Sept. 2 at 8pm in the second match of a doubleheader with the UCLA men's soccer team, which hosts Duke at 5pm.
Team Stats
Jordan,Savannah (3)
Assisted By: Lester,Julia , Dougherty Howard,Meg
header off cross from left
2:20
Alvarado, Annie (1)
Assisted By: Jenkins, Darian , Kaskie, Lauren
diving header off cross from right
4:47
Troccoli,Sarah (2)
Assisted By: Dougherty Howard,Meg , Seiler,Gabby
shot by 38 deflects off 15 into goal
16:26
Fleming, Jessie (1)
Assisted By: Goralski, Zoey , Munerlyn, Amber
header off cross from right
64:40
Fleming, Jessie (2)
UCLA Fleming, Jessie PENALTY KICK GOAL, goal number 2 for season.
68:35
Jordan,Savannah (5)
Assisted By: Nelson,Erika
header off pass from center
72:57
TEAM
cross deflected off two UCLA players
95:39
