Sunday, November 19
Los Angeles, CA
5:00 PM
UCLA
vs
Loyola Marymount
Photo by: Jamie Mitchell
Bruins Set to Host LMU in NCAA Tournament Second Round
November 17, 2023 | Men's Soccer
LOS ANGELES - The UCLA men's soccer team (9-3-5, 6-0-4 Pac-12) is set to host LMU on Sunday evening at 5 p.m. PT in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Wallis Annenberg Stadium. Fans can watch the game on ESPN+ ($) or can follow along by following @UCLAMSoccer on social media.
Quick Hits
UCLA claimed their ninth Pac-10/12 title on Thursday evening when Oregon State drew with Washington 2-2 and then followed that with a win Friday evening at San Diego State. This is the first time the Bruins have won the Pac-12 under fifth-year head coach Ryan Jordan, and is the program's first title since 2012.
The Week in Review
UCLA went 1-0 in its last week of regular season action, beating San Diego State 3-0 on Friday, November 10:
UCLA will host LMU on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament:
Pac-12 Postseason Honors
Six members of the UCLA men's soccer team received Pac-12 all-conference recognition on Tuesday morning, including first team honors for junior midfielder Tucker Lepley.
Last Time Out Against LMU
The Bruins and Lions played each other back on October 14th, with LMU coming out on top, 1-0. LMU's goal at the 2:37 mark, a header by Lewis Clutton off a corner kick, held as the only score of the game despite 12 Bruin shots and a relentless attack in the final 20 minutes of the contest.
The Series Against LMU
UCLA owns a 28-4-1 record all-time against LMU, including a 3-0 record in the NCAA Tournament. The two programs have met often in recent years, with Sunday's tilt marking the sixth matchup between the two programs over the last six seasons. Current
Bruins with points against LMU include Tucker Lepley (2 A in 2 GP), Grayson Doody (1 A in 3 GP), Jose Contell (1 A in 3 GP), and
Tommy Silva (1 A in 3 GP).
Vamos Jose!
Jose Contell (Valencia, Spain) led the Bruins to their fifth straight week unbeaten in Pac-12 play, tallied five points on the weekend, and helped the Bruins clinch a share of their ninth Pac-12 title on Sunday. He helped lead the Bruins to a 1-1 draw at California before scoring twice and dishing out an additional assist in UCLA's win over No. 19 Stanford. The Valencia, Spain native earned an assist on the Bruins opening goal before firing home UCLA's second and third goals of the afternoon. For the season Contell has three goals and six assists to his name.
Silva's Service
Tommy Silva has dished out eight assists in 2023, putting him 27th in the country in the category. The senior has 16 assists over his last two seasons as a Bruin, putting him fourth in the country in total assists over that time frame. The Tucson, Arizona native has 23 assists over 68 games, good for 0.34 assists per game for his career. His 23 assists for the Bruins put him eighth amongst current active players in the country.
Back in the Rankings
The Bruins are ranked 21st nationally in both the Top Drawer Soccer Poll and the United Soccer Coaches Poll. It's the first time UCLA has been in the top 25 in the United Soccer Coaches poll this season. The Bruins were previously ranked 25th (Oct. 8) and 24th (Oct. 15) in the Top Drawer Soccer poll.
Offensive Breakout
The Bruins have broken out for four goals in three of the last 13 games, and four times overall this season in just 17 games. This year marks the first time since 2016 that a Bruin squad has potted 4+ goals twice in a three-game span. It also marks the first time since 2016 that UCLA has had a quartet of four-goal games in a single season (the 2016 squad had five such performances). For the season, UCLA is averaging 2.00 goals per game, ranking No. 20 in the NCAA.
Filling the Net
UCLA scored multiple goals in five straight games from Sept. 23 to Oct. 8 before seeing that streak come to an end against LMU on Oct. 14. It was the first time the Bruins scored multiple goals in five straight games since Oct. 16-30, 2014. Under fifth-year head coach Ryan Jorden, UCLA is 29-4-5 when scoring multiple goals.
Depth in Westwood
So far this season, all but three of UCLA's 19 outfield players to have seen game action have recorded at least one point. The Bruins' 16 players with a point co-lead the Pac-12, and are the most by a UCLA squad since 2018 (also 16). The Bruins also have six players this season with multiple goals, ranking second in the league to San Diego State, which paces the Pac-12 in both total goals (29) and multi-goal scorers (7).
Bruins Earn Back-to-Back Pac-12 Player of the Week Honors in October
UCLA grad transfers Ryan Becher (Oct. 2) and Jack Sarkos (Oct. 9) earned the first two Pac-12 Player of the Week honors this month. It was the first time since 2019 that UCLA had earned back-to-back weekly honors from the league.
Sark(os) Attack
Graduate forward Jack Sarkos has been on a tear to open the season, scoring a team-high nine goals over his first 13 games of the year. His 0.69 goals per game rate rates second in the Pac-12 (percentage points behind OSU's Logan Farrington) and 16th in the country. Notably, he scored seven goals in his first seven games in Westwood, a total which would have led UCLA for the entire season in each of the past three campaigns. He posted five goals in a four-game span to open the season, becoming the first Bruin to do so Milan Iloski in 2019 (Iloski went on to lead the NCAA that season with 1.06 goals per game).
Riding the Momentum
Before falling 1-0 to LMU, UCLA had enjoyed a five-game unbeaten streak, the team's longest of the season and longest overall in the Ryan Jorden era (since 2019). UCLA's last five-game unbeaten streak came in 2014 (six games). Overall, the Bruins have just one loss over their last 11 games.
New Blood
The Bruins brought in six transfers to augment the roster for the 2023 season:
Quick Hits
- UCLA is 9-3-5 to this point of the season, with wins coming against Virginia Tech, Rutgers, UCI, Cal, Washington twice, SDSU twice, and Stanford.
- The Bruins enter the NCAA Tournament as the No. 13 overall seed, the highest amongst the Pac-12, and are one of three Pac-12 teams to make the NCAA Tournament.
- UCLA will take on LMU in the second round of the NCAA Tournament after LMU beat UC Irvine in the opening round 3-2.
- UCLA earned the Pac-12 title for the first time under fifth-year head coach Ryan Jordan, it was their first title since 2012.
- UCLA went unbeaten (6-0-4) in Pac-12 play for the first time since 2011. The 2023 UCLA team becomes the fourth squad in Pac-10/12 era to go undefeated in conference play.
- Six Bruins were named to Pac-12 postseason teams. Tucker Lepley earned first-team honors, while Jose Contell, Jack Sarkos and Tommy Silva were named to the second-team. Sean Karani and Andre Ochoa were Pac-12 honorable mention selections as well.
- Tommy Silva has been named the Pac-12 Men's Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year for 2023, the league announced on Friday. Silva becomes the fourth Bruin and first since Michael Amick in 2016 to win the award.
- Jose Contell tallied five points in UCLA's Bay Area road trip en route to Pac-12 Player of the Week honors. He scored twice and assisted on the opening goal in UCLA's 3-1 win at No. 19 Stanford.
- Earlier this season, UCLA had its first unbeaten (1-0-1) trip to the Pac-12 Pacific Northwest schools since 2017
- Jack Sarkos (1-2=4) was named Pac-12 Player of the Week after UCLA's trip to OSU and UW.
- The Bruins have scored multiple goals in eight of the last 11 games.
- UCLA is the only Pac-12 school with a quartet of four-goal games this season.
- Jack Sarkos entered the week among the top in the nation in goals per game (0.69, 24th).
- Dating to Sept. 15 of last season, UCLA has allowed one goal or fewer in 26 of its last 32 games.
- 22 of UCLA's 35 goals this year have been scored by players who entered the season with zero career goals as Bruins.
- Sept. 4's result represented UCLA's first tie in a home game since Feb. 20, 2021 (a span of 27 home contests).
- UCLA is 8-0-2 this season when scoring first, and 1-3-3 when conceding first.
- 2022: 12-7-1, reached NCAA 3rd rd. for first time since 2014, had a 10-game streak of allowing 1 GA or fewer.
UCLA claimed their ninth Pac-10/12 title on Thursday evening when Oregon State drew with Washington 2-2 and then followed that with a win Friday evening at San Diego State. This is the first time the Bruins have won the Pac-12 under fifth-year head coach Ryan Jordan, and is the program's first title since 2012.
The Week in Review
UCLA went 1-0 in its last week of regular season action, beating San Diego State 3-0 on Friday, November 10:
- Tucker Lepley kicked things off in dramatic fashion on Friday night for UCLA (9-3-5, 6-0-4 Pac-12). The senior opened the scoring in the seventh minute with a perfect shot that curled into the top-left corner of the net to give UCLA a 1-0 lead. UCLA came out quick again to start the second half. This time it was Becher who got in on the action. The grad transfer dribbled through the Aztecs midfield and then his shot found the back of the net to give UCLA a 2-0 advantage just 49 seconds into the second half. Sean Karani got the Bruins third of the night seven minutes later. After Jack Sarkos and Andre Ochoa both had their shots blocked from close range the ball bounced to Karani. He then shot the ball and it found the back of the net after hitting off an Aztec defender and the Bruins took a 3-0 lead and never looked back.
UCLA will host LMU on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament:
- The Bruins have plenty of postseason experience on the roster. 14 players return from the 2022 team that made the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, including Tucker Lepley who scored the game-winning goal against defending national champions No. 6 Clemson in the second round in 2022.
- UCLA is 26-14 all-time in second round matchups, and are 76-43 all-time win the tournament while boasting four national titles.
- The Bruins are 3-0 against LMU in the NCAA Tournament. Their last NCAA Tournament win over the Lions came back in 2004 in the round of 32 where UCLA won 3-0.
- The Bruins head into this week's contests with strong marks, in the Pac-12 and nationally, in the following stats:
- Shots on Goal Per Game - 6.59 (1st in Pac-12 / 14th in NCAA)
- Goals Per Game - 2.00 ( in Pac-12 / 20th in NCAA)
- Assists Per Game - 2.29 (2nd in Pac-12 / 13th in NCAA)
- Points Per Game - 6.29 (2nd in Pac-12 / 18th in NCAA)
- Shots Per Game - 14.12 (2nd in Pac-12 / 33rd in NCAA)
- Goal Differential - +16 (2nd in Pac-12 / 26th in NCAA)
Pac-12 Postseason Honors
Six members of the UCLA men's soccer team received Pac-12 all-conference recognition on Tuesday morning, including first team honors for junior midfielder Tucker Lepley.
- This is Lepley's first Pac-12 postseason honor during his four years in Westwood. Lepley was one of five Bruins who started and played in all 10 conference matches for UCLA, and provided two goals, both game-winners, during UCLA's 6-0-4 run to the conference title. Lepley scored the game-winner in the 2-1 win over Cal, and in the 3-0 win over San Diego State.
- Tommy Silva earned second-team all-conference for the third straight year. The Tucson, Arizona native dished out five of his team-leading eight assists during the 1the 2023 season. He also started and played in all 10 of the teams' fixtures throughout conference play.
- Jack Sarkos earned second team honors in his lone year at UCLA. The graduate transfer forward tallied three goals and two assists in just seven matches played during the conference schedule. The Margate City, New Jersey native has nine goals and two assists in 14 matches played in 2023.
- Jose Contell, who earned Pac-12 all-conference honorable mention status a season ago, has been placed on the second team in 2023. Contell started and played in all 10 conference matches for the Bruins this season, and scored three goals and assisted on three other goals.
- Karani and Ochoa have both had notable seasons en route to all-conference honorable mention honors. Karani scored three goals across 10 appearances for the Bruins during the conference slate including in both games against Washington, as well as in the season finale at San Diego State. Ochoa finished the conference season tied for first on the team in total points with nine (2G, 5A), and topped the charts with Silva in assists in conference play with five.
Last Time Out Against LMU
The Bruins and Lions played each other back on October 14th, with LMU coming out on top, 1-0. LMU's goal at the 2:37 mark, a header by Lewis Clutton off a corner kick, held as the only score of the game despite 12 Bruin shots and a relentless attack in the final 20 minutes of the contest.
The Series Against LMU
UCLA owns a 28-4-1 record all-time against LMU, including a 3-0 record in the NCAA Tournament. The two programs have met often in recent years, with Sunday's tilt marking the sixth matchup between the two programs over the last six seasons. Current
Bruins with points against LMU include Tucker Lepley (2 A in 2 GP), Grayson Doody (1 A in 3 GP), Jose Contell (1 A in 3 GP), and
Tommy Silva (1 A in 3 GP).
Vamos Jose!
Jose Contell (Valencia, Spain) led the Bruins to their fifth straight week unbeaten in Pac-12 play, tallied five points on the weekend, and helped the Bruins clinch a share of their ninth Pac-12 title on Sunday. He helped lead the Bruins to a 1-1 draw at California before scoring twice and dishing out an additional assist in UCLA's win over No. 19 Stanford. The Valencia, Spain native earned an assist on the Bruins opening goal before firing home UCLA's second and third goals of the afternoon. For the season Contell has three goals and six assists to his name.
Silva's Service
Tommy Silva has dished out eight assists in 2023, putting him 27th in the country in the category. The senior has 16 assists over his last two seasons as a Bruin, putting him fourth in the country in total assists over that time frame. The Tucson, Arizona native has 23 assists over 68 games, good for 0.34 assists per game for his career. His 23 assists for the Bruins put him eighth amongst current active players in the country.
Back in the Rankings
The Bruins are ranked 21st nationally in both the Top Drawer Soccer Poll and the United Soccer Coaches Poll. It's the first time UCLA has been in the top 25 in the United Soccer Coaches poll this season. The Bruins were previously ranked 25th (Oct. 8) and 24th (Oct. 15) in the Top Drawer Soccer poll.
Offensive Breakout
The Bruins have broken out for four goals in three of the last 13 games, and four times overall this season in just 17 games. This year marks the first time since 2016 that a Bruin squad has potted 4+ goals twice in a three-game span. It also marks the first time since 2016 that UCLA has had a quartet of four-goal games in a single season (the 2016 squad had five such performances). For the season, UCLA is averaging 2.00 goals per game, ranking No. 20 in the NCAA.
Filling the Net
UCLA scored multiple goals in five straight games from Sept. 23 to Oct. 8 before seeing that streak come to an end against LMU on Oct. 14. It was the first time the Bruins scored multiple goals in five straight games since Oct. 16-30, 2014. Under fifth-year head coach Ryan Jorden, UCLA is 29-4-5 when scoring multiple goals.
Depth in Westwood
So far this season, all but three of UCLA's 19 outfield players to have seen game action have recorded at least one point. The Bruins' 16 players with a point co-lead the Pac-12, and are the most by a UCLA squad since 2018 (also 16). The Bruins also have six players this season with multiple goals, ranking second in the league to San Diego State, which paces the Pac-12 in both total goals (29) and multi-goal scorers (7).
Bruins Earn Back-to-Back Pac-12 Player of the Week Honors in October
UCLA grad transfers Ryan Becher (Oct. 2) and Jack Sarkos (Oct. 9) earned the first two Pac-12 Player of the Week honors this month. It was the first time since 2019 that UCLA had earned back-to-back weekly honors from the league.
- Becher led the Bruins to an unbeaten first week of Pac-12 play, scoring in both of the team's matches as UCLA took away four points from its Bay Area league rivals. He headed home an Andre Ochoa free kick in the 15th minute of an eventual 2-2 draw with No. 4 Stanford, and redirected a Jose Contell cross in the 50th minute of a 2-1 victory over Cal.
- Sarkos had a team-high four points (1-2=4) as the Bruins went unbeaten at the Pac-12 Pacific Northwest schools. He figured in the scoring of both goals as UCLA overcame a 2-0 deficit to force a 2-2 draw at OSU, then earned the primary assist on UCLA's final goal in a 4-2 win at Washington. It was the third career weekly honor for Sarkos, and his first at UCLA (he earned two as an undergrad at Lehigh).
Sark(os) Attack
Graduate forward Jack Sarkos has been on a tear to open the season, scoring a team-high nine goals over his first 13 games of the year. His 0.69 goals per game rate rates second in the Pac-12 (percentage points behind OSU's Logan Farrington) and 16th in the country. Notably, he scored seven goals in his first seven games in Westwood, a total which would have led UCLA for the entire season in each of the past three campaigns. He posted five goals in a four-game span to open the season, becoming the first Bruin to do so Milan Iloski in 2019 (Iloski went on to lead the NCAA that season with 1.06 goals per game).
Riding the Momentum
Before falling 1-0 to LMU, UCLA had enjoyed a five-game unbeaten streak, the team's longest of the season and longest overall in the Ryan Jorden era (since 2019). UCLA's last five-game unbeaten streak came in 2014 (six games). Overall, the Bruins have just one loss over their last 11 games.
New Blood
The Bruins brought in six transfers to augment the roster for the 2023 season:
- Ryan Becher, M (UMBC) – 70 pts in 62 games over four years (25-20=70) ... Lone NCAA player with double-digit goals and assists in 2022 (13-10=36) ... Named to the NCAA.com "Best Starting XI" in 2022
- Oshea Foster, F (San Diego) – WCC All-Freshman Team in 2022 (3-0=6)
- Sean Karani, M (Temple) – 26 pts in 40 career games at Temple (8-10=26) ... Set career highs in goals (3), pts (11) in '22
- Jack Sarkos, F (Lehigh) – Over his last two seasons, posted 16 goals and was a two-time All-Patriot League choice
- Owen Schwartz, D (Brown) – Veteran of 48 games at Brown ... 2021 All-Ivy League choice after posting career-high 3 G
- Noah Sutherland, GK (Lehigh) – Four-year letterwinner ... Had a career-best 10 saves on 9/14/21 vs. Fairleigh-Dickinson
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