UCLA
7-3-3, 4-0-2
Washington
5-6-5, 2-4-2
UCLA Blanks Washington, 1-0
October 26, 2023 | Men's Soccer
LOS ANGELES – The UCLA men's soccer team notched a 1-0 victory over Washington on Thursday night at Wallis Annenberg Stadium on the strength of a second-half strike from graduate forward Sean Karani.
The Bruins (7-3-3, 4-0-2) kept a clean sheet in their match up with the Huskies (5-5-6, 2-3-3) to open the second half of their league schedule. The result finished off a doubleheader at Annenberg Stadium with the UCLA women's team, which blanked California by a score of 2-0.
With the result, UCLA has now gone unbeaten in its first six league games of the season. Paired with a 4-2 result in Seattle earlier this month, it also marks the first time that UCLA has swept the season series from Washington since 2015.
Karani opened the game's scoring early in the second half, finishing off a cross from the right wing via Jose Contell, who beat a pair of Huskies down the right side to set up the scoring chance.
47' | UCLA GOALLLL!!!
— UCLA Men's Soccer (@UCLAMSoccer) October 27, 2023
Sean Karani opens the scoring for UCLA after a sweet set-up from Jose Contell!
UCLA 1, Washington 0
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Though that was the game's lone goal, the Bruins had the better of the chances throughout. They narrowly missed out on two goals in the first half, and finished the game with a 13-9 edge in shot attempts.
Junior midfielder and UCLA team captain Tucker Lepley paced the Bruins with four shots. Senior forward Andre Ochoa – who had a slight touch on Contell's cross before Karani's goal to earn an assist – and Contell added three shots apiece.
UCLA dominated the game's first half, especially the opening half-hour. The Bruins had a 10-1 advantage in shots as of the 29th minute, including a spell of seven unanswered shots between the 10th and 15th minutes. Contell came the closest to scoring during that stretch, as he had a header deflected laterally across the goal-line by UW keeper Sam Fowler.
The Bruins were also denied a penalty pick attempt in the first half when a clear handball in the box went uncalled.
Freshman goalkeeper Wyatt Nelson made three saves in the match, earning his second shutout of the year.
UCLA finishes off its home schedule on Sunday afternoon, hosting Oregon State at 3 p.m. PT. The game will be televised by the Pac-12 Networks. The Bruins will honor their 10 graduating seniors during a halftime ceremony.
Team Stats
Sean Karani (4)
Assisted By: Jose Contell , Andre Ochoa
GOAL by UCL Karani, Sean Assist by Contell, Jose and Ochoa, Andre.
46:59
