Soccer battles valiantly but falls to No. 1 UCLA, 1-0

Friday, September 19

Austin, Texas

7:30 p.m.

University of Texas

4-3-2

UCLA

7-0-1

Team	1	2	Final F
UCLA	1	0	1
Texas	0	0	0

Soccer battles valiantly but falls to No. 1 UCLA, 1-0

09.19.2014 | Soccer

Box Score

Texas registers more shots on goal against the Bruins than any other team in 2014.

AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas (4-3-2) took the best shot that defending national champion and top-ranked UCLA (7-0-1) could deliver on Friday night in dropping a hard-fought, 1-0 decision to the Bruins in front of 1,803 burnt orange-clad fans at Mike A. Myers Stadium.

The Longhorns registered more shots on goal (three) than any other team had accomplished against the Bruins during the 2014 campaign and equaled the best team shot output thus far with five. UCLA goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland had been required to make just four saves over seven combined matches before UT kept her busy by forcing three stops.

UCLA out-shot the Horns by a 21-5 total, but the Burnt Orange & White closed the gap to just 9-4 in favor of the Bruins over the final 45 minutes of play. Junior net minder Abby Smith made five saves in the match in combining with her defensive backline to keep the margin at a single goal.

"I'm really proud of our squad and how we battled," Texas head coach Angela Kelly said. "We need to have the composure to make a pass. We were intercepting passes in the first half, and we weren't having the confidence on the ball to execute a second pass. I think we found ourselves, and we made second, third passes. We found some space for ourselves on the wing, and now we just have to have composure in the mid to the attacking third with the final pass and in just going at teams with speed. If that's the number one team in the country, I'm really excited about where we are. We're just going to crank up the tempo, crank up the heat and continue to move forward."

The Bruins wasted no time making their impression felt on the proceedings from the opening kick, igniting numerous early forays into the final third.

What turned out to be the only goal of the contest came just 2:52 into the match. UCLA defender Caprice Dydasco made a pass up the left wing to Taylor Smith. The junior forward made a strong run up the left wing and delivered a cross into the middle that landed right at the feet of Bruin standout Sam Mewis. The midfielder didn't waste her chance, burying the ball into the lower left corner from 12 yards out for a 1-0 lead.

After surviving the early onslaught, Texas began to settle into the contest, earning possession in the midfield and stringing together passes into the final third. Off a free kick in the 14th minute, Texas defender Julie Arnold launched a perfect ball off a free kick into the 18, but Rowland raced off her line to corral it.

Texas' first shot came at 25:55 courtesy of freshman forward Olivia Brook. The Longhorns' leading scorer took a pass from the left wing, moved towards the middle and launched a drive from 22 yards out that drifted wide right of the far post.

From there the Bruins controlled the remaining action in the opening stanza, out-shooting UT by an 8-0 count over the final 19:05. Dogged defending by the Texas backline helped keep the damage to a minimum as the teams headed to the break.

Texas spent the best part of the first eight minutes of the second stanza in the Bruins end. Sophomore forward Jasmine Hart nearly caught UCLA on a counterattack with 37:33 left, heading the ball past a defender just past the midfield stripe, but ultimately lost a race to the ball in the final third against Dydasco.

Arguably the best offensive stretch of the match for Texas came during the 56th and 60th minutes. First, sophomore midfielder Julia Dyche let a shot fly from 28 yards out on the right side that drifted wide left. Junior forward Chantale Campbell followed soon after by launching a drive from near the right end line that forced Rowland's initial save of the contest.

Texas' best scoring opportunity came at 66:04 as senior defender Whitney Jaynes made a strong run up the left wing. The Plano, Texas, native crossed a ball to the middle where senior midfielder Sharis Lachappelle was waiting. Battling her marker, the San Antonio, Texas, product attempted to volley the pass out of the air from eight yards out, but popped her effort straight up as it landed in the net minder's hands.

After UCLA nearly made it 2-0 via a drive off the crossbar during the 73rd minute, UT junior midfielder Lindsey Meyer forced another save by flicking a header on frame off a long free kick by Smith.

The Bruins managed a trio of shots down the stretch, forcing a great diving stop by Smith, but could add no more to their lead in settling for the one-goal victory.

Texas ventures back out on the road for a match at Texas State on Sunday, Sept. 21, at 7 p.m. Central. Live stats and video will be available through TXStateBobcats.com and live updates will be provided through the official Texas Soccer Twitter account @TexasSoccer.