UCLA
6-2-0
Long Beach State
4-4-1
UCLA Defeats Long Beach State, 2-1
September 18, 2016 | Women's Soccer
Los Angeles, Calif. โ Eleventh-ranked UCLA wrapped up non-conference play with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Long Beach State on Sunday night. Amber Munerlyn scored in the first half, and Darian Jenkins recorded the game-winner in the second half. Anika Rodriguez had the assist on both goals.
Munerlyn started the goal-scoring 15 minutes into the contest, scoring near post after receiving a perfect through ball from Rodriguez. The Bruins held Long Beach State to just one shot in the half while taking six of their own and entered the half with the 1-0 lead.
The second half was a different story, however, and the Beach came out swinging with a goal at 47:10 by Tori Bolden, who dribbled down the field and took a hard-angled shot that got past UCLA goalkeeper Teagan Micah. Long Beach State nearly took a 2-1 lead in the 54th minute, but Mimi Rangle hit the right post on her shot.
The Bruins (6-2-0) regained the lead at 56:57 on Jenkins' team-leading sixth goal of the season. It was Rodriguez who once again set up the play with a nice ball into the box to Jenkins, who tapped it in for the go-ahead goal.
Long Beach State (4-4-1) continued to press for the equalizer, but the Bruin defense continually made the plays they needed to keep them at bay. Micah made a big save in the 77th minute on a close-range shot by Rocio Rodriguez, and Kaiya McCullough and Alyssa Alarab blocked consecutive shots in the 85th minute. Micah had two more big plays in the final three minutes, making an acrobatic save in the 87th and then snagging the Beach's last-gasp corner kick in the closing seconds to secure the win.
"We battled well," said UCLA head coach Amanda Cromwell. "I thought we played really well in the first half. Our possession was good, and we got the goal. But these are the kind of games where you really want to get another goal, and we knew Long Beach was a team that battles and is dangerous in the attack. We gave up a goal in the second half, but less than 10 minutes later we got the go-ahead goal. And that's what's important: if you give up a goal you have to not lose your focus."
UCLA begins Pac-12 Conference play on Thursday with a home game against Arizona State at 7pm. The Bruins will be honoring their Olympians at this game, including Jessie Fleming, who won Olympic bronze for Team Canada, and goalkeeper coach Aline Reis, who played for host team Brazil.
Team Stats
Munerlyn, Amber (2)
Assisted By: Rodriguez, Anika
shot near post
15:10
Bolden, Tori (2)
dribbles down field on own, shoots hard
47:10
Jenkins, Darian (6)
Assisted By: Rodriguez, Anika
pass in front of goal, tapped in
56:57
