UCLA
16-2-2
San Diego State (First Round)
12-8-2
UCLA Defeats SDSU, 3-1, in NCAA Opener
November 10, 2017 | Women's Soccer
LOS ANGELES - UCLA defeated San Diego State, 3-1, in the first round of the NCAA Women's Soccer Tournament at Drake Stadium on the UCLA campus. Senior defender MacKenzie Cerda played a role in all three Bruin goals, scoring one, assisting on the game-winner and drawing the foul that led to Anika Rodriguez's free kick goal in the first half.
The Bruins got on the board first with the Rodriguez free kick at 15:28. Cerda was fouled just outside the box, and Rodriguez froze everyone, going top shelf to the upper right corner for her sixth goal of the season.
UCLA threatened to extend the lead in the first half with several dangerous chances, including a flurry in the box in the 33rd minute in which Cerda's shot was saved by Aztec goalkeeper Gabby English, and Gabrielle Matulich's rebound shot was blocked. English made two other nice saves on shots by Ashley Sanchez and Olivia Athens.
"I thought we came out buzzing around, knocking the ball around really well and scoring a goal in the first 15 minutes," said UCLA head coach Amanda Cromwell. "That's what you want to do against a team like this, who we are familiar with and who have dangerous players."
The Bruins pulled ahead 2-0 at 53:41 on a header by Julia Hernandez, her third goal of the season against San Diego State. UCLA's strong possession game was evident in that seven-pass play between Cerda, Ashley Sanchez, Hernandez and Jacey Pederson that ended with Cerda's cross into the box to Hernandez, who headed the ball past English for her sixth goal of the year. Cerda and Pederson were credited with the assists.
If @Julia_JHE could play SDSU every day she would. Here's her 4th career goal against the Aztecs and her 6th goal of the season. pic.twitter.com/93O1bdRfsL
โ UCLA Women's Soccer (@UCLAWSoccer) November 11, 2017
San Diego State got back into the contest in the 63rd minute when Mia Root scored her 10th goal of the year, going far post from distance after a takeaway to trim UCLA's lead back to one, 2-1.
Cerda sealed the win at 84:42 with a beauty of a shot perfectly placed to the upper far post, her fourth goal of the year. Olivia Athens and Sanchez earned the assists.
Sweet stuff from MacKenzie Cerda, her fourth goal of the year. #GoBruins pic.twitter.com/1agoy48wVt
โ UCLA Women's Soccer (@UCLAWSoccer) November 11, 2017
UCLA outshot the Aztecs, 20-9, and had a 7-0 advantage in corner kicks. English finished with six saves for San Diego State, and Bruin goalkeeper Teagan Micah had five in securing the victory.
The second-seeded Bruins (16-2-2) will play the winner of Northwestern-Butler on Friday, Nov. 17 in the second round at Drake Stadium. San Diego State ends its season with a 12-8-2 record.
Team Stats
Rodriguez, Anika (6)
directly off free kick
15:28
Hernandez, Julia (6)
Assisted By: Cerda, MacKenzie , Pederson, Jacey
header off cross into box
53:41
ROOT, Mia (10)
shot to far upper corner
62:54
Cerda, MacKenzie (4)
Assisted By: Athens, Olivia , Sanchez, Ashley
shot to far upper corner
84:42
