UCLA
5-4-1, 1-2-1
Washington
9-0-1, 2-0-0
UCLA Edged by No. 2 Washington, 1-0
October 02, 2022 | Men's Soccer
LOS ANGELES – No. 14 UCLA absorbed a 1-0 loss to No. 2 Washington on Sunday afternoon at Wallis Annenberg Stadium.
A highlight-reel half-volley from Washington's Nick Scardina just before the halftime break proved to be the difference in the game, as UCLA (5-4-1, 1-2-1 Pac-12) couldn't convert on its handful of scoring opportunities.
"I'm proud of the intensity and quality we showed, we just didn't find the back of the net," said UCLA head coach Ryan Jorden. "We created enough chances, but we hit a ball right at the goalkeeper, we had a ball just wide, we headed just over. In a game like that, if you create three or four top chances, you put yourself in a decent situation."
UCLA had the game's first scoring opportunity, with senior midfielder Jose Sosa playing a ball over the top from the back left of the center circle for redshirt sophomore forward Jose Contell, who ran it down for a partial 1 v 1 with the keeper. With a defender hot on his heels, Contell opted to shoot from the edge of the 18 but his drive went right into the arms of UW keeper Sam Fowler.
Scardina broke through for the Huskies (9-0-1, 2-0-0) in the 44th. The play came off a second-chance service into the box following a set piece, with teammate Ilijah Paul heading the service back above the box for Scardina, who drilled a shot off the short hop that ended up in the top right corner of the net.
Freshman forward Thomas Raimbault had UCLA's best chance at equalizing in the second half. The opportunity came in the 72nd minute, with sophomore Aaron Edwards hurling a long throw from deep in attacking territory towards the box. Sophomore center back Pietro Grassi was able to flick the ball towards the back post, where an open Raimbault got his head on it but put it just over the bar.
UCLA returns to action on Friday night, hosting San Diego State in the last of a four-game homestand.
Team Stats
Nick Scardina (3)
Assisted By: Ilijah Paul , Imanol Rosales
GOAL by WAS Scardina, Nick Assist by Paul, Ilijah and Rosales, Imanol.
43:01
