Sunday, September 2
Los Angeles, CA
7:00 PM
UCLA
vs
San Francisco
Anderson Asiedu has played a key part in the midfielder so far this season (photo by Don Liebig)
Photo by: Don Liebig/ASUCLA
No. 8 Men's Soccer Tangles With USF to Close Homestand
August 31, 2018 | Men's Soccer
GAME INFORMATION
No. 8 UCLA (2-0-0) vs. San Francisco (1-0-1)
Date/Time: Sunday, Sept. 2, 2018 – 7:00 p.m. PT
Location: Los Angeles, Calif. (Wallis Annenberg Stadium)
Live Stats/Radio: UCLABruins.com
Radio Commentary: Nick Koop
Twitter Updates: @UCLAMSoccer
Tickets: $10 (GA) / $5 (youth/military)
BRUINS WRAP UP SHORT HOMESTAND BY HOSTING SAN FRANCISCO
Fresh off a 2-0 start, UCLA wraps up a two-game homestand on Sunday evening by hosting San Francisco at Wallis Annenberg Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. This is just the second meeting between the two schools since 2007, with the Bruins emerging victorious 5-3 at USF in the first game of the 2017 season. Live stats and a radio broadcast are available on UCLABruins.com, while the @UCLAMSoccer Twitter account will provide live updates.
WEEK IN REVIEW
UCLA has had a strong start to the season, recording a pair of convincing wins in the opening week, first 4-0 at then-No. 18 Coastal Carolina and then 2-0 against San Diego in the Wallis Annenberg Stadium home opener. Freshman Matt Hundley scored a pair of high-quality goals, including one on a 40-yard free kick in the second half, to put UCLA in the driver's seat at 2-0 at Coastal. Junior forward Mohammed Kamara made it 3-0 with a chip (see below) midway through the second half and redshirt sophomore Robbie Knights sealed the deal with a deflecttion goal in the dying minutes of the game. Against San Diego, it was the Mohammed Kamara show, as the Tyler JC transfer collected a pair of highlight-reel goals to secure the win. He narrowly missed out on a hat trick, having a third tally nuliified by an offside whistle. Senior keeper Cole Martinez made four saves combined over the two games to record his first two career shutouts.
WALLIS ANNENBERG STADIUM OPENS FOR 2018 SEASON
After playing home games at Drake Stadium from 2000-17, the UCLA soccer teams have moved into a new home, Wallis Annenberg Stadium. The stadium, which seats 2,145, is located at the previously-named North Athletic Field, where UCLA played selected home games from 1967-99. The stadium was made possible thanks to a $5 million lead gift from the Annenberg Foundation. The just-completed first phase of the stadium project includes grandstands and a press box on the west side, a Daktronics LED video board and Musco Sports lighting. Future phases of the stadium project may include expanded seating, a training room, student-athlete locker room, coaches' locker rooms, meeting spaces, ticketing space, and a new press box.
IN THE POLLS
After a convincing first week of action, UCLA made a big jump in every national poll. The largest boost came from the United Soccer Coaches poll, where the Bruins went from unranked to No. 8 in the country. They made similar strides in both the Top Drawer and College Soccer News polls. Appearing at No. 17 in the preseason Top Drawer Poll, the Bruins were No. 12 in this week's poll and went from No. 28 in the preseason to No. 17 this week in the CSN rankings. In addition, the Bruins are the second-ranked team in the Far West region. San Francisco enters the contest unranked in national and regional polls.
KAMARA STEALS THE SHOW
With his man-of-the-match performance against the Toreros, Kamara is now near the summit of the leaderboard for collegiate goal-scoring. The Monrovia, Liberia native currently ranks fifth in the nation in goals (three) and 10th in points (six), while leading the Pac-12 Conference in both categories.
OUR HOUSE
Though the sample size is small, UCLA's soccer teams have gone undefeated in their new home so far this season. Including exhibitions, the Bruins are a combined 4-0 at Wallis Annenberg Stadium, with both the men and women taking one win from an exhibition and another from a regular season game.
FILLING THE NET
Last Friday represented the second straight year that the Bruins pummeled the back of the net on Opening Day (UCLA defeated San Francisco 5-3 on Aug. 26, 2017). UCLA's goals per game ratio ranked second in the country after the Coastal game, and dipped just eight spots to 10th overall after the home opener. The Bruins lead the Pac-12 Conference in goals per game (3.0) and are tied with Washington in total goals (nine) despite playing one fewer game.
HOT START
UCLA's current +6 goal differential is tied for fifth in the country. Only UNCW, George Washington, Utah Valley, and St. Mary's have better ratios to this point of the season.
HOLT THE HELPER
Erik Holt recorded assists on both of Kamara's goals against USD, giving him the first multi-assist game of his career. With those pair of assists, Holt enters the weekend tied for the conference lead.
NO GOALS AGAINST MENTALITY
While the goal numbers and flashy headlights have received much of the attention, UCLA has been just as strong on the defensive side of the ball. Through two regular season games, the Bruins have allowed no goals, and just 12 shots (four on frame). Reaching back into the preseason exhibitions, UCLA has gone four straight games without allowing a goal while allowing just six shots on goal combined, an average of 1.5 per game. UCLA is just one of 19 schools to have no goals against so far this year, and one of only 11 to have done so while playing two or more games.
STANDOUT DEBUT FOR HUNDLEY
Freshman midfielder Matt Hundley could scarcely have hoped for a better Division I debut, as the Littleton, Colo. native scored the team's first two goals and assisted on another for five points. What's more, he narrowly missed out on a hat trick as he had a shot roll just wide of the post in the sixth minute. With the outburst, he becomes:
• Just the second Bruin in the last three years to notch five points in a single game (Alex Knox, Oct. 26, 2017 vs. Oregon State) • The first to do so on Opening Day since current assistant coach Matt Taylor notched a hat trick in the opening game of the 2003 season
• The only UCLA frosh this millenium to grab five points on Opening Day.
HOLT, HUNDLEY PICK UP WEEKLY HONORS
With his dominant offensive performance at Coastal, Hundley found himself named to the College Soccer News Team of the Week, one of just two freshmen on the 13-man team. Hundley was also named both the Pac-12 Player of the Week and the UCLA/Muscle Milk Student-Athlete of the Week. Meanwhile, Erik Holt was named to the Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week after leading the Bruin defense in a shutout over Coastal Carolina.
KAMARA MAKES A CAMEO ON SPORTSCENTER
Junior forward and 2017 NJCAA National Player of the Year Mohammed Kamara's debut Division I goal caught the eyes of sports fans across the country, as his moonshot chip was featured as the No. 2 play on Friday night's Sportscenter Top 10. To view the goal for yourself, head to the @UCLAMSoccerTwitter account.
SCOUTING THE DONS
USF is 1-0-1 this season, topping CSUN 3-2 in its first game before drawing with San Diego State on Aug. 26. Santiago DiGiuseppe is their leading goalscorer with two. The Dons have yet to score a goal in the first half. USF was picked to finish fourth in the WCC this year, but are coming off a league title and a berth into the NCAA Tournament, where they were eliminated in the second round.
BRUINS BRING IN NATION'S TOP RECRUITING CLASS
Featuring four of the top-20 ranked academy players in the country, UCLA's 2018 recruiting class was deemed the best in the country by Top Drawer Soccer. This is the seventh time under Salcedo that UCLA has brought in the top class in the nation. Standouts include 2017 NJCAA National Player of the Year Mohammed Kamara (Monrovia, Liberia / Tyler JC) and freshmen Frankie Amaya (No. 6 national prospect / Santa Ana, Calif. / Pateadores Academy), Justin Garces (No. 16 prospect / Miami, Fla. / Atlanta United Academy), Matt Hundley (No. 18 prospect / Littleton, Colo / Colorado Rapids Academy), and AJ Vasquez (No. 19 prospect / Mira Loma, Calif. / FC Golden State Academy), all of whom have national team experience. Other heralded newcomers include freshman midfielder Cody Sundquist, Santa Monica City College transfer Carlos Rincon, freshman defender Paul Caspar, and Division I transfers Alexis Triadis (MF, Hartford) and Aristides Costeas (GK, St. John's).
HOLT RECEIVES PLENTY OF PRESEASON RECOGNITION
One of UCLA's top returners, senior defender Erik Holt received plenty of preseason publicity ahead of his last season in Westwood. Chiefly, he was named to the MAC Hermann Award Watch List. The MAC Hermann Trophy is awarded annually to the most outstanding male and female players of the year. Past Bruin winners include Leo Stolz (2014), Sasha Victorine (1999), and Brad Friedel (1992). In addition, Holt was selected to the College Soccer News Preseason All-America Third Team.
FROSH PAIR MAKE TOP DRAWER PRESEASON BEST XI
Goalkeeper Justin Garces and midfielder Matt Hundley both were named to the Top Drawer Soccer Preseason Freshman Best XI. With two selections, UCLA was the lone program in the country to have two players on the Best XI. Washington (Ethan Bartlow, Defender) was the only other Pac-12 school represented.Two key members of the top recruiting class in the country, both Garces and Hundley have significant experience with the U.S. National Team. Both were members of the U-17 Residency Program, and both ended their academy careers inside the top-20 of the IMG Academy Top-150, with Garces coming in at No. 16 and Hundley at No. 18.
PAIR OF BRUINS MAKE PRESEASON ALL-PAC-12 TEAM, UCLA PICKED TO FINISH THIRD
Erik Holt and Anderson Asiedu were both named to the Preseason All-Pac-12 Team. Normally an 11-man team, the 2018 iteration featured 12 players as the there was a tie for the 11th and final spot. Asiedu was a Second Team All-Pac-12 choice last year after recording two goals and two assists for four points. In the annual preseason coaches poll, UCLA was picked to finish third in the Pac-12. The Bruins were one of two teams to receive first place votes. Stanford, which took five first place votes and received 25 overall points, was selected to finish on top. Washington received one more point (19) than UCLA in the poll.
HOLT, ASIEDU MAKE TOP DRAWER'S TOP-100
UCLA's two Preseason All-Pac-12 picks were both also tabbed to Top Drawer Soccer's Preseason Top 100 player rankings. Holt, a Preseason All-American and Mac Hermann Watch List member, came in at No. 53. Asiedu cracked the list at No. 88. TDS hasn't released its Top 100 freshmen list as of Aug. 27, but the Bruins are bound to have multiple athletes included on that list.
LAST TIME OUT AGAINST SAN FRANCISCO
UCLA and USF met last year for the first time since 2007, with the Bruins pulling out a 5-3 win. The five goals were the most by UCLA in a season-opening game since 2003. The contest wasn't as close as the scoreline would indicate, as the Bruins led 4-0 at one point. A pair of quick goals by USF early in the second half briefly cut the Bruin's lead to two, but Santiago Herrera's 67th minute strike re-established a comfortable cushion at 5-2. Blayne Martinez and Eirik Baekkelund scored the first two goals of the contest for UCLA, and Brian Iloski later recorded a brace to extend the lead to four.
No. 8 UCLA (2-0-0) vs. San Francisco (1-0-1)
Date/Time: Sunday, Sept. 2, 2018 – 7:00 p.m. PT
Location: Los Angeles, Calif. (Wallis Annenberg Stadium)
Live Stats/Radio: UCLABruins.com
Radio Commentary: Nick Koop
Twitter Updates: @UCLAMSoccer
Tickets: $10 (GA) / $5 (youth/military)
BRUINS WRAP UP SHORT HOMESTAND BY HOSTING SAN FRANCISCO
Fresh off a 2-0 start, UCLA wraps up a two-game homestand on Sunday evening by hosting San Francisco at Wallis Annenberg Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. This is just the second meeting between the two schools since 2007, with the Bruins emerging victorious 5-3 at USF in the first game of the 2017 season. Live stats and a radio broadcast are available on UCLABruins.com, while the @UCLAMSoccer Twitter account will provide live updates.
WEEK IN REVIEW
UCLA has had a strong start to the season, recording a pair of convincing wins in the opening week, first 4-0 at then-No. 18 Coastal Carolina and then 2-0 against San Diego in the Wallis Annenberg Stadium home opener. Freshman Matt Hundley scored a pair of high-quality goals, including one on a 40-yard free kick in the second half, to put UCLA in the driver's seat at 2-0 at Coastal. Junior forward Mohammed Kamara made it 3-0 with a chip (see below) midway through the second half and redshirt sophomore Robbie Knights sealed the deal with a deflecttion goal in the dying minutes of the game. Against San Diego, it was the Mohammed Kamara show, as the Tyler JC transfer collected a pair of highlight-reel goals to secure the win. He narrowly missed out on a hat trick, having a third tally nuliified by an offside whistle. Senior keeper Cole Martinez made four saves combined over the two games to record his first two career shutouts.
WALLIS ANNENBERG STADIUM OPENS FOR 2018 SEASON
After playing home games at Drake Stadium from 2000-17, the UCLA soccer teams have moved into a new home, Wallis Annenberg Stadium. The stadium, which seats 2,145, is located at the previously-named North Athletic Field, where UCLA played selected home games from 1967-99. The stadium was made possible thanks to a $5 million lead gift from the Annenberg Foundation. The just-completed first phase of the stadium project includes grandstands and a press box on the west side, a Daktronics LED video board and Musco Sports lighting. Future phases of the stadium project may include expanded seating, a training room, student-athlete locker room, coaches' locker rooms, meeting spaces, ticketing space, and a new press box.
IN THE POLLS
After a convincing first week of action, UCLA made a big jump in every national poll. The largest boost came from the United Soccer Coaches poll, where the Bruins went from unranked to No. 8 in the country. They made similar strides in both the Top Drawer and College Soccer News polls. Appearing at No. 17 in the preseason Top Drawer Poll, the Bruins were No. 12 in this week's poll and went from No. 28 in the preseason to No. 17 this week in the CSN rankings. In addition, the Bruins are the second-ranked team in the Far West region. San Francisco enters the contest unranked in national and regional polls.
KAMARA STEALS THE SHOW
With his man-of-the-match performance against the Toreros, Kamara is now near the summit of the leaderboard for collegiate goal-scoring. The Monrovia, Liberia native currently ranks fifth in the nation in goals (three) and 10th in points (six), while leading the Pac-12 Conference in both categories.
OUR HOUSE
Though the sample size is small, UCLA's soccer teams have gone undefeated in their new home so far this season. Including exhibitions, the Bruins are a combined 4-0 at Wallis Annenberg Stadium, with both the men and women taking one win from an exhibition and another from a regular season game.
FILLING THE NET
Last Friday represented the second straight year that the Bruins pummeled the back of the net on Opening Day (UCLA defeated San Francisco 5-3 on Aug. 26, 2017). UCLA's goals per game ratio ranked second in the country after the Coastal game, and dipped just eight spots to 10th overall after the home opener. The Bruins lead the Pac-12 Conference in goals per game (3.0) and are tied with Washington in total goals (nine) despite playing one fewer game.
HOT START
UCLA's current +6 goal differential is tied for fifth in the country. Only UNCW, George Washington, Utah Valley, and St. Mary's have better ratios to this point of the season.
HOLT THE HELPER
Erik Holt recorded assists on both of Kamara's goals against USD, giving him the first multi-assist game of his career. With those pair of assists, Holt enters the weekend tied for the conference lead.
NO GOALS AGAINST MENTALITY
While the goal numbers and flashy headlights have received much of the attention, UCLA has been just as strong on the defensive side of the ball. Through two regular season games, the Bruins have allowed no goals, and just 12 shots (four on frame). Reaching back into the preseason exhibitions, UCLA has gone four straight games without allowing a goal while allowing just six shots on goal combined, an average of 1.5 per game. UCLA is just one of 19 schools to have no goals against so far this year, and one of only 11 to have done so while playing two or more games.
STANDOUT DEBUT FOR HUNDLEY
Freshman midfielder Matt Hundley could scarcely have hoped for a better Division I debut, as the Littleton, Colo. native scored the team's first two goals and assisted on another for five points. What's more, he narrowly missed out on a hat trick as he had a shot roll just wide of the post in the sixth minute. With the outburst, he becomes:
• Just the second Bruin in the last three years to notch five points in a single game (Alex Knox, Oct. 26, 2017 vs. Oregon State) • The first to do so on Opening Day since current assistant coach Matt Taylor notched a hat trick in the opening game of the 2003 season
• The only UCLA frosh this millenium to grab five points on Opening Day.
HOLT, HUNDLEY PICK UP WEEKLY HONORS
With his dominant offensive performance at Coastal, Hundley found himself named to the College Soccer News Team of the Week, one of just two freshmen on the 13-man team. Hundley was also named both the Pac-12 Player of the Week and the UCLA/Muscle Milk Student-Athlete of the Week. Meanwhile, Erik Holt was named to the Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week after leading the Bruin defense in a shutout over Coastal Carolina.
KAMARA MAKES A CAMEO ON SPORTSCENTER
Junior forward and 2017 NJCAA National Player of the Year Mohammed Kamara's debut Division I goal caught the eyes of sports fans across the country, as his moonshot chip was featured as the No. 2 play on Friday night's Sportscenter Top 10. To view the goal for yourself, head to the @UCLAMSoccerTwitter account.
SCOUTING THE DONS
USF is 1-0-1 this season, topping CSUN 3-2 in its first game before drawing with San Diego State on Aug. 26. Santiago DiGiuseppe is their leading goalscorer with two. The Dons have yet to score a goal in the first half. USF was picked to finish fourth in the WCC this year, but are coming off a league title and a berth into the NCAA Tournament, where they were eliminated in the second round.
BRUINS BRING IN NATION'S TOP RECRUITING CLASS
Featuring four of the top-20 ranked academy players in the country, UCLA's 2018 recruiting class was deemed the best in the country by Top Drawer Soccer. This is the seventh time under Salcedo that UCLA has brought in the top class in the nation. Standouts include 2017 NJCAA National Player of the Year Mohammed Kamara (Monrovia, Liberia / Tyler JC) and freshmen Frankie Amaya (No. 6 national prospect / Santa Ana, Calif. / Pateadores Academy), Justin Garces (No. 16 prospect / Miami, Fla. / Atlanta United Academy), Matt Hundley (No. 18 prospect / Littleton, Colo / Colorado Rapids Academy), and AJ Vasquez (No. 19 prospect / Mira Loma, Calif. / FC Golden State Academy), all of whom have national team experience. Other heralded newcomers include freshman midfielder Cody Sundquist, Santa Monica City College transfer Carlos Rincon, freshman defender Paul Caspar, and Division I transfers Alexis Triadis (MF, Hartford) and Aristides Costeas (GK, St. John's).
HOLT RECEIVES PLENTY OF PRESEASON RECOGNITION
One of UCLA's top returners, senior defender Erik Holt received plenty of preseason publicity ahead of his last season in Westwood. Chiefly, he was named to the MAC Hermann Award Watch List. The MAC Hermann Trophy is awarded annually to the most outstanding male and female players of the year. Past Bruin winners include Leo Stolz (2014), Sasha Victorine (1999), and Brad Friedel (1992). In addition, Holt was selected to the College Soccer News Preseason All-America Third Team.
FROSH PAIR MAKE TOP DRAWER PRESEASON BEST XI
Goalkeeper Justin Garces and midfielder Matt Hundley both were named to the Top Drawer Soccer Preseason Freshman Best XI. With two selections, UCLA was the lone program in the country to have two players on the Best XI. Washington (Ethan Bartlow, Defender) was the only other Pac-12 school represented.Two key members of the top recruiting class in the country, both Garces and Hundley have significant experience with the U.S. National Team. Both were members of the U-17 Residency Program, and both ended their academy careers inside the top-20 of the IMG Academy Top-150, with Garces coming in at No. 16 and Hundley at No. 18.
PAIR OF BRUINS MAKE PRESEASON ALL-PAC-12 TEAM, UCLA PICKED TO FINISH THIRD
Erik Holt and Anderson Asiedu were both named to the Preseason All-Pac-12 Team. Normally an 11-man team, the 2018 iteration featured 12 players as the there was a tie for the 11th and final spot. Asiedu was a Second Team All-Pac-12 choice last year after recording two goals and two assists for four points. In the annual preseason coaches poll, UCLA was picked to finish third in the Pac-12. The Bruins were one of two teams to receive first place votes. Stanford, which took five first place votes and received 25 overall points, was selected to finish on top. Washington received one more point (19) than UCLA in the poll.
HOLT, ASIEDU MAKE TOP DRAWER'S TOP-100
UCLA's two Preseason All-Pac-12 picks were both also tabbed to Top Drawer Soccer's Preseason Top 100 player rankings. Holt, a Preseason All-American and Mac Hermann Watch List member, came in at No. 53. Asiedu cracked the list at No. 88. TDS hasn't released its Top 100 freshmen list as of Aug. 27, but the Bruins are bound to have multiple athletes included on that list.
LAST TIME OUT AGAINST SAN FRANCISCO
UCLA and USF met last year for the first time since 2007, with the Bruins pulling out a 5-3 win. The five goals were the most by UCLA in a season-opening game since 2003. The contest wasn't as close as the scoreline would indicate, as the Bruins led 4-0 at one point. A pair of quick goals by USF early in the second half briefly cut the Bruin's lead to two, but Santiago Herrera's 67th minute strike re-established a comfortable cushion at 5-2. Blayne Martinez and Eirik Baekkelund scored the first two goals of the contest for UCLA, and Brian Iloski later recorded a brace to extend the lead to four.
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D
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