Thursday, August 14
Athens, Ga.
4:30 PM PT
UCLA
1-0-0, 0-0-0
1
at
0
Georgia
0-1-0, 0-0-0
1
2
F
UCLA
0
1
1
Georgia
0
0
0
Bella Winn
Photo by: Percy Anderson
Women's Soccer Wins Season Opener at Georgia, 1-0
August 14, 2025 | Women's Soccer
Athens, Ga. - Sophomore Bella Winn provided the game-winner for No. 8 UCLA in the 66th minute as the Bruins defeated Georgia, 1-0, in the 2025 season opener.
Senior Lily Boyden created the play with a run down the left line. She was challenged by a Georgia defender but continued with a strong diagonal run before hitting Winn with a through ball in the box. Winn took one touch and then hit a left-footed shot past goalkeeper Hannah Folliard to break the scoreless tie. Winn, who was limited to just two games a year ago due to injury, has now scored a goal or assist in all three career games.ย
Georgia threatened to tie in the final 10 minutes. Freshman goalkeeper Daphne Nakfoor leaped up to make a save on a Cate Hardin shot in the 81st minute. With 30 seconds left in the contest, Hardin had another opportunity, with her close-range shot getting past Nakfoor, but senior defender Jennie Immethun was there to make a goal line save, and freshman Meila Brewer cleared the ball away from danger.
Nakfoor earned the shutout in her first collegiate game. She finished with three saves on 11 shots. Folliard also faced 11 shots and recorded six saves for the Bulldogs.
ย
The first half saw both teams earn several quality chances. The Bulldogs had its best opportunity in the 27th minute when freshman Mya Townes rocketed a shot off the crossbar. Nakfoor made two saves in the half, stopping a shot by Maddie Baker in the seventh minute and handling a shot by Summer Denigan in the 24th minute.ย
ย ย
Sophomore Kara Croone was dangerous for the Bruins, earning a takeaway in the 28th minute that led to a scoring chance, but her shot was saved by Folliard. Croone also had a 1v1 opportunity in the 31st minute, but her shot was stopped again by Folliard at the left post.ย
The Bruins had a flurry of chances in the final five minutes of the half, with Val Vargas taking a long-distance curling shot that saved in the 40th minute. A minute later, Payten Cooper earned a free kick just in front of the box, and Vargas' free kick was blocked by the Georgia wall. With under a minute to play, Cooper had a shot cleared off the line, and Oruha Hayashi's follow-up shot was blocked.ย
The defenses continued to shine in the second half. In the 49th minute Winn and Leena Powell connected in the box, but Folliard smothered the ball before Powell could get a shot off. In the 56th minute, Baker sent in a perfect pass ahead to Sage Glover, who had just Nakfoor to beat. Nakfoor came out to challenge and cut off Glover's angle, forcing a cross that was cut off by the Bruin defense. America Frias found Powell on the left side in the 61st minute, but a Georgia defender forced Powell into an off-target shot.ย
UCLA will host Tennessee on Wednesday, Aug. 20 at 7 pm at Wallis Annenberg Stadium in the Bruins' home opener. Tickets are available at uclabruins.com/tickets.
Senior Lily Boyden created the play with a run down the left line. She was challenged by a Georgia defender but continued with a strong diagonal run before hitting Winn with a through ball in the box. Winn took one touch and then hit a left-footed shot past goalkeeper Hannah Folliard to break the scoreless tie. Winn, who was limited to just two games a year ago due to injury, has now scored a goal or assist in all three career games.ย
Goal No. 1 of the season for the Bruins and career goal No. 2 for @bellawinnsoccer!
โ UCLA Women's Soccer (@UCLAWSoccer) August 15, 2025
(??: ESPNU) pic.twitter.com/t9GUki1KPP
Georgia threatened to tie in the final 10 minutes. Freshman goalkeeper Daphne Nakfoor leaped up to make a save on a Cate Hardin shot in the 81st minute. With 30 seconds left in the contest, Hardin had another opportunity, with her close-range shot getting past Nakfoor, but senior defender Jennie Immethun was there to make a goal line save, and freshman Meila Brewer cleared the ball away from danger.
Nakfoor earned the shutout in her first collegiate game. She finished with three saves on 11 shots. Folliard also faced 11 shots and recorded six saves for the Bulldogs.
ย
The first half saw both teams earn several quality chances. The Bulldogs had its best opportunity in the 27th minute when freshman Mya Townes rocketed a shot off the crossbar. Nakfoor made two saves in the half, stopping a shot by Maddie Baker in the seventh minute and handling a shot by Summer Denigan in the 24th minute.ย
ย ย
Sophomore Kara Croone was dangerous for the Bruins, earning a takeaway in the 28th minute that led to a scoring chance, but her shot was saved by Folliard. Croone also had a 1v1 opportunity in the 31st minute, but her shot was stopped again by Folliard at the left post.ย
The Bruins had a flurry of chances in the final five minutes of the half, with Val Vargas taking a long-distance curling shot that saved in the 40th minute. A minute later, Payten Cooper earned a free kick just in front of the box, and Vargas' free kick was blocked by the Georgia wall. With under a minute to play, Cooper had a shot cleared off the line, and Oruha Hayashi's follow-up shot was blocked.ย
The defenses continued to shine in the second half. In the 49th minute Winn and Leena Powell connected in the box, but Folliard smothered the ball before Powell could get a shot off. In the 56th minute, Baker sent in a perfect pass ahead to Sage Glover, who had just Nakfoor to beat. Nakfoor came out to challenge and cut off Glover's angle, forcing a cross that was cut off by the Bruin defense. America Frias found Powell on the left side in the 61st minute, but a Georgia defender forced Powell into an off-target shot.ย
UCLA will host Tennessee on Wednesday, Aug. 20 at 7 pm at Wallis Annenberg Stadium in the Bruins' home opener. Tickets are available at uclabruins.com/tickets.
Team Stats
UCL
UGA
Goals
1
0
Shots
11
11
Shots on Goal
7
3
Saves
3
6
Corners
5
4
Fouls
11
8
Scoring Plays
Bella Winn (1)
Assisted By: Lily Boyden
GOAL by UCL Winn, Bella Assist by Boyden, Lily.
65:56
Game Leaders
Players
fwd
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
0
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's SoccerF
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's SoccerF
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's SoccerF
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