LOS ANGELES - No. 18 UCLA wrapped up its non-conference schedule with a 3-0 shutout win over Pepperdine on Senior Night. Kara Croone scored in the first half, and Grace Shank and Payten Cooper added goals in the final five minutes. Senior Lynette Bryant made her UCLA debut in goal and earned the shutout in her first game in nearly two years.
UCLA (3-2-1) struck first with a goal by Croone in the 16th minute. Senior Oruha Hayashi started the play by intercepting a pass and sending it to Croone, who outraced four defenders up the field. Pepperdine goalkeeper Jillian Medvecky made a play for the ball and got a piece of it, but Croone stuck with the play and shot into the empty net from the right corner for her second goal of the season.
What a run! After a steal by Oruha Hayashi, Kara Croone takes it all the way down the field for the goal! 💃
— UCLA Women's Soccer (@UCLAWSoccer) September 5, 2026
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Pepperdine (2-2-2) had a good chance to equalize in the 27th minute on a breakaway. Julia Quinonez had a 1v1 chance against Bryant, but the BYU transfer was up for the task in her first game as a Bruin, making the save with a dive to her right. Bryant had another strong save in the 50th minute after a free kick, diving to stop a shot by Sam Hosford in the box. She finished with three saves on four Pepperdine shots.
Lynette Bryant is having quite the UCLA debut! 🙅
— UCLA Women's Soccer (@UCLAWSoccer) September 5, 2026
📺: @BigTenPlus #GoBruins pic.twitter.com/0cUgAPpIiy
The Waves threatened in the 78th minute after a corner kick was played to the back post and headed down in front of the goal, but Molly Hale was there to clear the ball out of danger.
With time running down, the Bruins put some distance between themselves and the Waves. In the 86th minute, Hayashi made another steal and sent a ball through to Shank, who spun her defender around before firing a left-footed shot into the back of the net. The goal was her first of the year. Just two minutes later, Shank added an assist, sending a pass up to Cooper, who juked a defender and shot past Medvecky for the dagger.
"I'm super happy because right now we are a little thin on players, and we really had to dig deep to go get that win," said The Wolfen Family UCLA Women’s Head Soccer Coach Gof Boyoko. "I think we probably had one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country, and coming out of this with a winning record puts us in a good spot going into the start of conference play."
Boyoko started all five seniors in the game. Bryant, Ava Priest and Hayashi each played the full 90. Olivia Woodson played all but the final two minutes and had two shots on goal. Marli Galdamez played 67 minutes and had one shot on goal.
The Bruins will begin Big Ten Conference play at home on Thursday, Sept. 10 against Purdue. Tickets for the 7pm contest are on sale now at uclabruins.com/tickets.