UCLA
5-3-1
Stanford
9-0-1
Top-Ranked Stanford Bests No. 16 UCLA, 3-2
September 27, 2018 | Women's Soccer
STANFORD, CALIF. - The much-anticipated rematch between No. 16 UCLA and No. 1 Stanford lived up to its billing, with last season's NCAA finalists battling in what resulted in a 3-2 Stanford victory.
UCLA struck first in the contest after Anika Rodriguez's corner kick found Viviana Villacorta in the box. Villacorta's shot went off the hand of a Stanford defender for a handball. Olivia Athens, from nearby Atherton, nailed the penalty kick to give UCLA the 1-0 lead at 11:52.
The Bruins' lead was short-lived, as Catarina Macario scored the first of her two goals at 19:21 on a chip shot following a nifty pass from Madison Haley. Macario made it 2-1 just 33 seconds into the second half, scoring on a spectacular volley as Stanford claimed the lead for the first time.
Sophia Smith appeared to put the game away at 77:29 when she stole the ball and scored to put Stanford ahead, 3-1, but the Bruins answered back immediately. After a foul, Rodriguez sent a long free kick into the box. Julia Hernandez put the ball down for Villacorta, and the sophomore volleyed it into the back of the net for her first collegiate goal to trim the lead to 3-2 at 78:08.
Just two minutes later, Ashley Sanchez nearly tied it up, but her shot was saved by Alison Jahansouz. The Bruins earned a corner kick in the 89th minute, with Rodriguez finding Villacorta on the far right. Villacorta got a head on the ball, but it was cleared out of the box before another Bruin player could get to it.
UCLA goalkeeper Lauren Brzykcy kept the Bruins in the game the entire contest with several outstanding saves. Brzykcy faced a total of 24 shots in the contest and made a career-high eight saves. The Bruins had 12 shots, four of which were saved by Jahansouz.
And @laurenbrzykcy11 has skills too, keeping it knotted at 1-1. ?????
โ UCLA Women's Soccer (@UCLAWSoccer) September 28, 2018
Watch live on @Pac12Network or on Pac-12 Now: https://t.co/gKDaj7UFV5 pic.twitter.com/e30cSGmGkr
With the win, Stanford improves to 9-0-1, 2-0-0 in the Pac-12, and extends its unbeaten streak to 32 games. UCLA drops to 5-3-1 and 0-2-0 in conference play. All of UCLA's losses have come to Top 15 teams, and two have come against Top 4 teams.
Team Stats
Olivia Athens (11)
Penalty kick into the bottom left corner.
11:52
Catarina Macario (5)
Assisted By: Madison Haley
Through ball chipped over the keeper.
19:21
Catarina Macario (6)
Assisted By: (unassisted)
Full volley from the top of the box inside the right post.
45:33
Sophia Smith (5)
Assisted By: (unassisted)
Left-footed finish inside the far post from middle of the box.
77:29
Viviana Villacorta
Assisted By: Julia Hernandez , Anika Rodriguez
Loose ball volleyed inside the far post from inside the area.
78:08
