UCLA
2-0-1
Florida
2-2-1
UCLA, Florida Battle to Scoreless Tie
August 31, 2018 | Women's Soccer
Gainesville, Fla. - No. 2 UCLA and No. 22 Florida played to a scoreless tie on a humid evening in Gainesville Friday night. The shutout was UCLA's second of the season and 20th for Teagan Micah in her career.
After the game was delayed by a half-hour due to heavy traffic, the Bruins (2-0-1) and Gators (2-2-1) found themselves caught in gridlock offensively as well, with just two shots by Florida being registered in the first half.
UCLA came out swinging in the second half, however, outshooting the Gators, 12-2 in the half. The Bruins received an energy boost from freshman Maricarmen Reyes off the bench. Reyes had a hard shot saved nicely by Florida goalkeeper Kaylan Marckese in the 48th minute, and in the 62nd and 70th minutes, she had a pair of shots that went high. she took advantage of a Florida giveaway to take a shot, which went high.
The Bruins peppered the Gator goal in the final minutes of regulation, with Julia Hernandez getting saved and Ashley Sanchez shooting wide in the 85th minute. They each had a shot in the final minute as well, but both were denied by Marckese.
Florida had two prime scoring opportunities in the second half. In the 53rd minute, Lais Araujo curled a shot that just missed the upper right corner. The Gators were poised to break through wiht the game's first goal in the 78th minute when Cassidy Lindley took a through ball up the middle and drew Micah off her line. However, Lindley poked her shot just wide of goal.
The Bruin defense made some big plays to keep the Gators off the board. Kaiya McCullough stuffed a breakaway in the 74th minute. Karina Rodriguez headed away a potential breakaway in the 76th minute and slid to kick away a dangerous long ball in the 87th minute.
In overtime, UCLA had three solid chances, but Delanie Sheehan missed just high in the 95th minute, Kennedy Faulknor went wide in the 103rd minute, and Anika Rodriguez was saved in the 105th minute.
UCLA totaled 17 shots in the contest and held Florida to just five. Marckese had eight saves for the Gators, while Micah made one.
The Bruins will stay in the state of Florida for their next game, playing No. 4 Florida State in Tallahassee on Sunday, Sept. 2 at 5pm ET/2pm PT.
