UCLA
5-8-3, 1-5-2
California
6-4-3, 2-2-2
UCLA and Cal Draw, 3-3
October 31, 2019 | Men's Soccer
BERKELEY, Calif. – The UCLA men's soccer team battled Cal to a 3-3 draw on Thursday afternoon at Edwards Stadium.
The Bruins (5-8-4, 1-5-2) led at three separate points after goals from Alexis Triadis, Eric Iloski, and Milan Iloski, but the Golden Bears (6-4-3, 2-2-2) battled back each time. Simon Lekressner sent the game into overtime with what turned out to be the final goal of the game, a header off a corner kick with just three seconds remaining in regulation.
The result was a mirror of the UCLA-Cal matchup at Wallis Annenberg Stadium, a contest in which the Bruins battled back for a 3-3 draw thanks to a late goal from Triadis.
Sophomore keeper Justin Garces was a key figure in the match as well, mixing in a number of goal-saving stops as part of a career-high 10-save performance. He is the first Pac-12 player this season to reach the double-digit save mark.
Triadis got the Bruins on the board in the eighth minute with his second goal of the year, both coming against Cal. Junior defender Ben Reveno got the play started by serving in a long ball from the right side towards the 18-yard box. Triadis lined up with the curled ball and – with his back to goal – re-directed it with his head inside the far post.
Cal answered with a 21st minute marker from Tommy Williamson, who finished on a PK after UCLA was whistled for a foul in the box.
While those were the only two goals of the first half, UCLA was quick to take control once play resumed.
That advantage resulted in a second goal at the 46:23 mark when Eric Iloski found the back of the net when his shot deflected off a Cal defender and past stunned keeper Drake Callender.
The Golden Bears answered once again in the 76th minute as Williamson picked up his second goal of the game.
Sophomore midfielder Riley Ferch played just 50 seconds in the second half, but he made an immediate impact once he stepped on the field, setting up NCAA goalscoring leader Milan Iloski for the go-ahead score.
Less than a minute after coming onto the pitch at the 84:32 mark, Ferch slipped a through ball between a pair of defenders for Iloski who was able to toe-poke it past Callender and make it 3-2.
Cal made a mad dash for goal in the game's final minute and that effort paid off as they earned a corner kick with a little less than 15 seconds left in the game. Quickly setting it up, Alonzo Del Mundo was able to find Lekressner in the box who headed it in past Garces for the game-tying goal.
Ferch had two of the best chances for UCLA in the overtime period. On one play, he got on the end of a Contstantinos Michaelides cross from the left side, but he didn't make good contact and the shot went wide left. Later on, he worked himself a bit of room inside the 18-yard box for a right-footed shot from close range but his effort was deflected out of bounds for a corner kick.
The Bruins wrap up their Bay Area road trip on Sunday afternoon with a 3:00 p.m. contest at No. 5 Stanford on the Pac-12 Network.
Team Stats
Triadis, Alexis (2)
Assisted By: Reveno, Ben
GOAL by UCLA Triadis, Alexis (FIRST GOAL), Assist by Reveno, Ben, goal number 2 for season.
7:41
Williamson, Thomas (6)
CAL Williamson, Thomas PENALTY KICK GOAL.
20:29
Iloski, Eric (2)
GOAL by UCLA Iloski, Eric, goal number 2 for season.
46:23
Williamson, Thomas (7)
Assisted By: Del Mundo, Alonzo
GOAL by CAL Williamson, Thomas, Assist by Del Mundo, Alonzo, goal number 7 for season.
75:42
Iloski, Milan (17)
Assisted By: Ferch, Riley , Pimentel, Marcony
GOAL by UCLA Iloski, Milan, Assist by Ferch, Riley and Pimentel, Marcony, goal number 17 for season.
85:22
Lekressner, Simon (4)
Assisted By: Del Mundo, Alonzo
GOAL by CAL Lekressner, Simon, Assist by Del Mundo, Alonzo, goal number 4 for season.
89:57
