Monday, September 16
Madison, WI
6 p.m. PT
UCLA
at
No. 8 Wisconsin
Photo by: Ross Turteltaub
UCLA Set For Monday Night Showdown at No. 8 Wisconsin
September 14, 2024 | Men's Soccer
UCLA (3-1-2) at No. 8 Wisconsin (5-1-0)
Date/Time: Monday, Sept. 16, 7 p.m. CT/5 p.m. PT
Location: Madison, Wisc. (McMilon Soccer Complex)
TV: Big Ten Network
Live Stats: UCLAlivestats.com
UCLA Continues Road Swing at No. 8 Wisconsin
The UCLA men's soccer team continues their road trip on Monday night, with another top-10 matchup, this time at No. 8 Wisconsin. The game will also be the Bruins' first on the Big Ten Network. The No. 8 Badgers head into Monday's game fresh off a 3-0 loss to Maryland.
Tough Slate to Start
UCLA has opened the season with five of their first six games coming against teams ranked in the top 25 at the time of the game. In those games UCLA is undefeated at 3-0-2, and have picked up wins over No. 11 LMU and No. 8 Portland, and No. 14 Northwestern, while drawing with No. 18 James Madison and No. 3 Denver.
The road doesn't get any easier for the Bruins with UCLA set to take on No. 8 Wisconsin. With the ranked matchup against Wisconsin, the Bruins will have played six of their first seven games against ranked teams.
Last Time Out Against Wisconsin
UCLA and Wisconsin have met once before, in 1983. The game finished 1-1. This will be the first game between the two sides in the Big Ten era.
Clean Sheet Machine
Junior keeper Sam Joseph has recorded four clean sheets in four starts in 2024. The San Diego native has yet to concede a goal in 360 minutes of action, and all of his clean sheets have come against teams ranked inside the top 25. Joseph has produced multiple game saving stops in 2024, and has held No. 11 LMU, No. 8 Portland, No. 3 Denver, and No. 14 Northwestern to a combined 0 goals.
Joseph leads the nation in both save percentage (.000) and goals against average (.000).
Stout Defense
UCLA had not conceded a goal until the fourth game of the season to begin the 2024 season. Over the course of six games, the Bruins have limited No. 11 LMU, No. 18 JMU, No. 8 Portland, Cal State Fullerton, No. 3 Denver, and No. 14 Northwestern to a combined three goals and to a combined 17 shots on goal, while keepers Sam Joseph and Wyatt Nelson have recorded a combined five clean sheets.
Bruins in the NCAA Rankings
B1G Time Matchup on Big Ten Network
UCLA is set for a third game in a row against top-15 opposition when they take on No. 8 Wisconsin. In their last 10 games against teams ranked inside the top 15, UCLA holds a 3-4-3 record. The Bruins last four wins against top 15 teams have come against No. 11 LMU and No. 8 Portland, No. 14 Northwestern in 2024, as well as No. 12 Clemson in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2022.
The Bruins will also be making their Big Ten Network debut on Monday. UCLA is set to have three games broadcast on the Network. Monday against No. 8 Wisconsin, as well as at Maryland on October 21, and against Indiana on October 25.
There's A First For Everything
In UCLA's 2-0 win over No. 8 Portland, three Bruins tallied their first collegiate points. Graduate forward Sveinn Hauksson tallied his first career assist, while freshman Shakir Nixon and Tamir Ratoviz both scored their first collegiate goals, and provided their first collegiate assists.
The same thing happened to Nikolai Rojel on Thursday against Cal State Fullerton. The transfer tallied his first career goal as a Bruin with a well-taken goal from just outside the box, pulling the Bruins within a goal at the time. Additionally, for UCLA, freshman Allan Legaspi, sophomore Jacob Diaz, and sophomore Sam Scott all made their collegiate debuts.
B1G Players of the Week
UCLA junior goalkeeper Sam Joseph and freshman defender Shakir Nixon have been named the Big Ten Men's Soccer Goalkeeper of the Week and Defensive Player of the Week (Aug. 27 - Sept. 3), becoming the first Bruin men's soccer players ever to win a weekly award in the Big Ten Conference.
Sam Joseph (San Diego, Calif.) earns his first career conference accolades for his display in goal for the Bruins in the 2-0 win over No. 8 Portland. The junior earned his second start of the campaign and produced three top-notch saves to secure the clean sheet. Playing all 90 minutes for the second time this season, Joseph recorded his second consecutive shutout, after also not conceding a goal in UCLA's 2-0 win over No. 11 LMU to open the season.
Shakir Nixon (Cerritos, Calif.) tallied his first three collegiate points on Friday night over 52 minutes of action off the bench, helping No. 10 UCLA take down No. 8 Portland 2-0. The freshman scored the second goal for the Bruins in the win over the Pilots in the 76th minute of the match, putting UCLA up 2-0. Nixon also recorded the first assist of his collegiate career on the Bruins' first goal, setting up fellow freshman Tamir Ratoviz in the 54th minute, which put UCLA up at the time 1-0.
Bruin Debuts
Eight Bruins made either their collegiate debut or UCLA debut in the season opener against No. 11 LMU. Freshman Shakir Nixon and Tamir Ratoviz, and international graduate student Sveinn Hauksson all made their NCAA debuts. Additionally, Caceres, Nico Cavallo, Oshea Foster, Nikolai Rojel, and Youri Senden all made their UCLA debuts.
UCLA Opens Big Ten Play with 1-0 Win over No. 14 Northwestern
UCLA men's soccer began Big Ten play with a 1-0 win over No. 14 Northwestern on Friday night in Chicago. Jose Contell scored the lone goal of the match, converting a penalty kick in the 9th minute. UCLA kept their fifth clean sheet in six games to begin the year and keeper Sam Joseph kept his fourth clean sheet in his fourth start, Joseph has yet to give up a goal in 360 minutes of action. The Bruins improved to 3-0-2 and remain undefeated in games against ranked opponents in 2024.
UCLA Draws With No. 3 Denver
The No. 6 UCLA men's soccer team earned their fourth shutout in five games to begin the season, drawing 0-0 with No. 3 Denver on Monday night at Wallis Annenberg Stadium. Allan Legaspi and Shakir Nixon both earned their first career starts on Monday, while Sam Joseph recorded his third shutout in his third start of the year. With the result, UCLA moves to 6-2-2 in their last 10 games, when both teams are ranked inside the top 10.
UCLA Falls to Fullerton
The UCLA men's soccer lost for the first time on Thursday to Cal State Fullerton, 3-1. Fullerton tallied two goals in the 12th minute to take the lead into halftime. Transfer Nikolai Rojel, who was subbed on at halftime, got his first goal as a Bruin in the 50th minute, making it 2-1, but then the Bruins gave away a penalty in the 53rd, and CSUF converted the penalty and won 3-1
UCLA Beats No. 8 Portland
The Bruins earned their third consecutive result against a ranked opponent on Friday night, taking down No. 8 Portland 2-0 at Wallis Annenberg Stadium. Freshman Tamir Ratoviz and Shakir Nixon provided the goals for the Bruins. Ratoviz tallied his first collegiate goal and opened the scoring in the 54th minute from a headed-down cross by Graduate Sveinn Hauksson and Nixon. Both Hauksson and Nixon recorded their first career collegiate assists as a result of Ratoviz's goal. Nixon scored in the 76th minute from on top of the penalty box which and floated over the Portland goalkeeper to put the Bruins up 2-0. After scoring a goal earlier in the night Ratoviz also assisted Nixon on the goal.
Bruins Draw With No. 18 JMU
UCLA kept a second consecutive clean sheet against a top-25 opponent on Sunday night, tying 0-0 with No. 18 James Madison University at Wallis Annenberg Stadium. Statistically, for UCLA Edrey Caceres, Sveinn Hauksson, and Andre Ochoa all tallied two shots, while sophomore goalkeeper Wyatt Nelson produced three saves. To begin the year the Bruins have now played 180 minutes without conceding a goal to begin the season. Nelson also produced the fourth clean sheet of his career in his first start for UCLA in 2024
Opening Night Win over No. 11 LMU
UCLA opened the 2024 season with a win over No. 11 LMU on Thursday night. Edrey Caceres provided both the goals for the Bruins, scoring two beautifully taken free kicks from just outside the 18 yard box. UCLA found the opening goal in the 27th minute. After a handball just outside the 18 yard box on LMU, Caceres stood over the ball to take the ensuing free kick. Caceres lined up the shot and lifted the ball over the LMU wall, past the outstretched arms of the keeper, and put the Bruins up 1-0. As for the second goal, just five seconds before the end of the first half, the Bruins had a free kick in almost the same spot where Caceres scored from the first time. It was almost a déjà vu moment as Caceres placed his second free kick of the game perfectly, directing it over the LMU wall, past the diving keeper, and into the back of the net, making it 2-0 UCLA going into halftime, and that's how the game would finish.
Contell, Greenlee, Ochoa Selected to Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch List
Jose Contell enters his fifth season in Westwood in 2024. The redshirt senior has been a consistent contributor for the Bruins during his three years in the lineup, netting at least 12 points in all three seasons. The Valencia, Spain, native scored a career-high five goals in 2021 and has tallied six assist seasons twice, in 2021 and 2023. At the conclusion of the 2023 season, Contell was named to the All-Far West Region Second Team and was a 2023 Pac-12 Second Team selection.
Pablo Greenlee also enters his fifth season at UCLA. The Hollywood, California native has played 40 times for the Bruins over four seasons, making 14 starts. During the 2023 season, in which the Bruins earned the Pac-12 title, Greenlee made 11 appearances, with 10 starts.
Andre Ochoa embarks on his third season at UCLA, having transferred from San Diego State after his sophomore season. The senior from Anaheim, California, started all 18 of UCLA's games in 2023, and earned third-team all-Far West region honors and Pac-12 honorable mention accolades after tallying 15 points (4G, 7A) on the season. For his career in Westwood, Ochoa has seven goals and 11 assists over 39 appearances (36 starts).
Date/Time: Monday, Sept. 16, 7 p.m. CT/5 p.m. PT
Location: Madison, Wisc. (McMilon Soccer Complex)
TV: Big Ten Network
Live Stats: UCLAlivestats.com
UCLA Continues Road Swing at No. 8 Wisconsin
The UCLA men's soccer team continues their road trip on Monday night, with another top-10 matchup, this time at No. 8 Wisconsin. The game will also be the Bruins' first on the Big Ten Network. The No. 8 Badgers head into Monday's game fresh off a 3-0 loss to Maryland.
Tough Slate to Start
UCLA has opened the season with five of their first six games coming against teams ranked in the top 25 at the time of the game. In those games UCLA is undefeated at 3-0-2, and have picked up wins over No. 11 LMU and No. 8 Portland, and No. 14 Northwestern, while drawing with No. 18 James Madison and No. 3 Denver.
The road doesn't get any easier for the Bruins with UCLA set to take on No. 8 Wisconsin. With the ranked matchup against Wisconsin, the Bruins will have played six of their first seven games against ranked teams.
Last Time Out Against Wisconsin
UCLA and Wisconsin have met once before, in 1983. The game finished 1-1. This will be the first game between the two sides in the Big Ten era.
Clean Sheet Machine
Junior keeper Sam Joseph has recorded four clean sheets in four starts in 2024. The San Diego native has yet to concede a goal in 360 minutes of action, and all of his clean sheets have come against teams ranked inside the top 25. Joseph has produced multiple game saving stops in 2024, and has held No. 11 LMU, No. 8 Portland, No. 3 Denver, and No. 14 Northwestern to a combined 0 goals.
Joseph leads the nation in both save percentage (.000) and goals against average (.000).
Stout Defense
UCLA had not conceded a goal until the fourth game of the season to begin the 2024 season. Over the course of six games, the Bruins have limited No. 11 LMU, No. 18 JMU, No. 8 Portland, Cal State Fullerton, No. 3 Denver, and No. 14 Northwestern to a combined three goals and to a combined 17 shots on goal, while keepers Sam Joseph and Wyatt Nelson have recorded a combined five clean sheets.
- UCLA is one of two teams in the country who have recorded five or more shutouts, Mercer is the other school
- The Bruins are first nationally in shutout percentage (.833)
- UCLA is one of three schools who boast a shutout percentage of .800 or higher
Bruins in the NCAA Rankings
- Shutouts: T-1st – 5
- Shoutout percentage: 1st - .833
- Goals Against Average: T-9th - .500
- Sam Joseph - Save Percentage - 1st - .000
- Sam Joseph - Goals Against Average - 1st - .000
B1G Time Matchup on Big Ten Network
UCLA is set for a third game in a row against top-15 opposition when they take on No. 8 Wisconsin. In their last 10 games against teams ranked inside the top 15, UCLA holds a 3-4-3 record. The Bruins last four wins against top 15 teams have come against No. 11 LMU and No. 8 Portland, No. 14 Northwestern in 2024, as well as No. 12 Clemson in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2022.
The Bruins will also be making their Big Ten Network debut on Monday. UCLA is set to have three games broadcast on the Network. Monday against No. 8 Wisconsin, as well as at Maryland on October 21, and against Indiana on October 25.
There's A First For Everything
In UCLA's 2-0 win over No. 8 Portland, three Bruins tallied their first collegiate points. Graduate forward Sveinn Hauksson tallied his first career assist, while freshman Shakir Nixon and Tamir Ratoviz both scored their first collegiate goals, and provided their first collegiate assists.
The same thing happened to Nikolai Rojel on Thursday against Cal State Fullerton. The transfer tallied his first career goal as a Bruin with a well-taken goal from just outside the box, pulling the Bruins within a goal at the time. Additionally, for UCLA, freshman Allan Legaspi, sophomore Jacob Diaz, and sophomore Sam Scott all made their collegiate debuts.
B1G Players of the Week
UCLA junior goalkeeper Sam Joseph and freshman defender Shakir Nixon have been named the Big Ten Men's Soccer Goalkeeper of the Week and Defensive Player of the Week (Aug. 27 - Sept. 3), becoming the first Bruin men's soccer players ever to win a weekly award in the Big Ten Conference.
Sam Joseph (San Diego, Calif.) earns his first career conference accolades for his display in goal for the Bruins in the 2-0 win over No. 8 Portland. The junior earned his second start of the campaign and produced three top-notch saves to secure the clean sheet. Playing all 90 minutes for the second time this season, Joseph recorded his second consecutive shutout, after also not conceding a goal in UCLA's 2-0 win over No. 11 LMU to open the season.
Shakir Nixon (Cerritos, Calif.) tallied his first three collegiate points on Friday night over 52 minutes of action off the bench, helping No. 10 UCLA take down No. 8 Portland 2-0. The freshman scored the second goal for the Bruins in the win over the Pilots in the 76th minute of the match, putting UCLA up 2-0. Nixon also recorded the first assist of his collegiate career on the Bruins' first goal, setting up fellow freshman Tamir Ratoviz in the 54th minute, which put UCLA up at the time 1-0.
Bruin Debuts
Eight Bruins made either their collegiate debut or UCLA debut in the season opener against No. 11 LMU. Freshman Shakir Nixon and Tamir Ratoviz, and international graduate student Sveinn Hauksson all made their NCAA debuts. Additionally, Caceres, Nico Cavallo, Oshea Foster, Nikolai Rojel, and Youri Senden all made their UCLA debuts.
UCLA Opens Big Ten Play with 1-0 Win over No. 14 Northwestern
UCLA men's soccer began Big Ten play with a 1-0 win over No. 14 Northwestern on Friday night in Chicago. Jose Contell scored the lone goal of the match, converting a penalty kick in the 9th minute. UCLA kept their fifth clean sheet in six games to begin the year and keeper Sam Joseph kept his fourth clean sheet in his fourth start, Joseph has yet to give up a goal in 360 minutes of action. The Bruins improved to 3-0-2 and remain undefeated in games against ranked opponents in 2024.
UCLA Draws With No. 3 Denver
The No. 6 UCLA men's soccer team earned their fourth shutout in five games to begin the season, drawing 0-0 with No. 3 Denver on Monday night at Wallis Annenberg Stadium. Allan Legaspi and Shakir Nixon both earned their first career starts on Monday, while Sam Joseph recorded his third shutout in his third start of the year. With the result, UCLA moves to 6-2-2 in their last 10 games, when both teams are ranked inside the top 10.
UCLA Falls to Fullerton
The UCLA men's soccer lost for the first time on Thursday to Cal State Fullerton, 3-1. Fullerton tallied two goals in the 12th minute to take the lead into halftime. Transfer Nikolai Rojel, who was subbed on at halftime, got his first goal as a Bruin in the 50th minute, making it 2-1, but then the Bruins gave away a penalty in the 53rd, and CSUF converted the penalty and won 3-1
UCLA Beats No. 8 Portland
The Bruins earned their third consecutive result against a ranked opponent on Friday night, taking down No. 8 Portland 2-0 at Wallis Annenberg Stadium. Freshman Tamir Ratoviz and Shakir Nixon provided the goals for the Bruins. Ratoviz tallied his first collegiate goal and opened the scoring in the 54th minute from a headed-down cross by Graduate Sveinn Hauksson and Nixon. Both Hauksson and Nixon recorded their first career collegiate assists as a result of Ratoviz's goal. Nixon scored in the 76th minute from on top of the penalty box which and floated over the Portland goalkeeper to put the Bruins up 2-0. After scoring a goal earlier in the night Ratoviz also assisted Nixon on the goal.
Bruins Draw With No. 18 JMU
UCLA kept a second consecutive clean sheet against a top-25 opponent on Sunday night, tying 0-0 with No. 18 James Madison University at Wallis Annenberg Stadium. Statistically, for UCLA Edrey Caceres, Sveinn Hauksson, and Andre Ochoa all tallied two shots, while sophomore goalkeeper Wyatt Nelson produced three saves. To begin the year the Bruins have now played 180 minutes without conceding a goal to begin the season. Nelson also produced the fourth clean sheet of his career in his first start for UCLA in 2024
Opening Night Win over No. 11 LMU
UCLA opened the 2024 season with a win over No. 11 LMU on Thursday night. Edrey Caceres provided both the goals for the Bruins, scoring two beautifully taken free kicks from just outside the 18 yard box. UCLA found the opening goal in the 27th minute. After a handball just outside the 18 yard box on LMU, Caceres stood over the ball to take the ensuing free kick. Caceres lined up the shot and lifted the ball over the LMU wall, past the outstretched arms of the keeper, and put the Bruins up 1-0. As for the second goal, just five seconds before the end of the first half, the Bruins had a free kick in almost the same spot where Caceres scored from the first time. It was almost a déjà vu moment as Caceres placed his second free kick of the game perfectly, directing it over the LMU wall, past the diving keeper, and into the back of the net, making it 2-0 UCLA going into halftime, and that's how the game would finish.
Contell, Greenlee, Ochoa Selected to Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch List
Jose Contell enters his fifth season in Westwood in 2024. The redshirt senior has been a consistent contributor for the Bruins during his three years in the lineup, netting at least 12 points in all three seasons. The Valencia, Spain, native scored a career-high five goals in 2021 and has tallied six assist seasons twice, in 2021 and 2023. At the conclusion of the 2023 season, Contell was named to the All-Far West Region Second Team and was a 2023 Pac-12 Second Team selection.
Pablo Greenlee also enters his fifth season at UCLA. The Hollywood, California native has played 40 times for the Bruins over four seasons, making 14 starts. During the 2023 season, in which the Bruins earned the Pac-12 title, Greenlee made 11 appearances, with 10 starts.
Andre Ochoa embarks on his third season at UCLA, having transferred from San Diego State after his sophomore season. The senior from Anaheim, California, started all 18 of UCLA's games in 2023, and earned third-team all-Far West region honors and Pac-12 honorable mention accolades after tallying 15 points (4G, 7A) on the season. For his career in Westwood, Ochoa has seven goals and 11 assists over 39 appearances (36 starts).
Players Mentioned
MF
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer
MF/F
/ Men's Soccer
GK
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer
GK
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's Soccer
MF
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's SoccerHighlights - UCLA M. Soccer vs. Michigan - Big Ten Tournament Final (11/16/25)
Monday, November 17
UCLA Men's Soccer vs. Rutgers Recap
Monday, September 11
UCLA Men's Soccer vs. Rutgers Recap
Sunday, September 10
Jose Contell’s goal lifts UCLA past California in Los Angeles
Friday, October 21