LOS ANGELES - No. 16 UCLA was unable to withstand a seventh-minute goal by No. 5 Michigan State, falling 1-0 to the Spartans on Sunday afternoon.
The Spartans (6-0-2, 2-0-0 in the Big Ten) scored the only goal of the game in the seventh minute, with Kayla Briggs scoring in the box after a cross from Renee Watson.
"Again, we started a little flat," said The Wolfen Family UCLA Women’s Head Soccer Coach Gof Boyoko. "One of our plans is always to get out of the first 15 without making a mistake, but we made a mistake here, got beat twice with no cover, the cross comes, and then you're 1-0 down. And then now the game plan changes a little bit because now you have to chase the game."
The Bruins (4-3-1, 1-1-0) had the first shot of the game in the sixth minute, a long-distance strike from Oruha Hayashi that was saved by Spartan goalkeeper Bella Schopp. In the 14th minute, UCLA had a chance on a breakaway by Paloma Daubert after controlling a corner kick. Daubert raced all the way down the field and passed to Grace Shank on her right, but Shank's shot was blocked by a Spartan defender. The Bruins were unable to get off any other shots after that and were outshot 13-2 in the game.
UCLA's defense put together a strong defensive effort in the final 83 minutes to keep it a one-goal game against a potent Michigan State attack. The Bruins fended off 15 corner kicks and 10 second-half shots. Bruin goalkeeper Daphne Nakfoor recorded seven saves in the game.
Daphne Nakfoor with back-to-back saves to keep it a one-goal game!
— UCLA Women's Soccer (@UCLAWSoccer) September 13, 2026
📺: @BigTenPlus #GoBruins | @DNakfoor pic.twitter.com/BzwFR7pFI9
"Michigan State is a good team," Boyoko said. "They have the number one RPI, and that's for a reason. We learned a lot about ourselves, we showed some improvements in some areas, and we showed some weaknesses in some. Can't wait to get back to practice and start working on it for Ohio State."
UCLA will next play the No. 6 Buckeyes on Thursday, Sept. 17 at 6pm PT to wrap up its homestand.