UCLA
1-1-1, 0-0-0
CSUN
1-0-3, 0-0-0
UCLA, CSUN Both Score Late in 1-1 Draw
September 04, 2023 | Men's Soccer
LOS ANGELES – The UCLA men's soccer team battled CSUN to a 1-1 tie on Monday night at Wallis Annenberg Stadium, with both squads scoring in the final 10 minutes of the game to produce the deadlock.
The contest was the regular-season home-opener for the Bruins, who moved to 1-1-1 overall on the season.
Graduate forward Jack Sarkos netted the opening goal of the game for UCLA in the 84th minute, his team-high third score of the season. The goal came off a long pass from senior right back Pablo Greenlee, who lofted a ball from the central-right area of the final third into the box, perfectly splitting two CSUN defenders and finding Sarkos at the edge of the six. From there, Sarkos leapt and headed back towards the opposite post to beat CSUN keeper Cooper Wenzel.
84' | UCLA GOAL!!!!
— UCLA Men's Soccer (@UCLAMSoccer) September 5, 2023
Jack Sarkos gets his head on this ball from Pablo Greenlee to open the scoring late.
UCLA 1, CSUN 0#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/e12E0lFJnU
However, CSUN (1-0-3) answered back less than four minutes later, knotting it up on a successful PK conversion from Jorge Solorzano at the 87:11 mark.
UCLA ended the contest with wide advantages in shots (18-8) and shots on goal (7-3), forcing Wenzel to make a game-high six saves.
The Bruins had the three most dangerous chances of opening 80 minutes.
In the 20th minute, graduate midfielder Ryan Becher clanged a PK off the corner of the goalframe after senior left back Tommy Silva had earned the penalty with a cross from the left wing that went off a CSUN defender for a hand ball.
Then in the 34th, redshirt junior midfielder Tucker Lepley got his foot on a CSUN dribble to set up a counterattack in the offensive third. After a few one-touch passes, the ball came back to Lepley atop the box, but his shot from the penalty arc was pushed just wide of the post by Wenzel.
Sarkos also had a great look for the Bruins in the 58th, drilling a shot from about 30 yards out that required a tough save from Wenzel. The Lehigh transfer finished with game highs in shots (five) and shots on goal (three).
UCLA returns to action on Saturday afternoon, hosting Big Ten-member Rutgers at 4:00 p.m. PT. The contest will be streamed live through Pac-12.com.
Team Stats
Jack Sarkos (3)
Assisted By: Pablo Greenlee , Amjot Narang
GOAL by UCL Sarkos, Jack Assist by Greenlee, Pablo and Narang, Amjot.
83:45
Jorge Solorzano (2)
CSN Jorge Solorzano PENALTY KICK GOAL.
87:11
