Soccer picks up huge win at No. 8 UCLA, 2-1

Sunday, September 6

Los Angeles, Calif.

9 p.m.

University of Texas

2-2-1

UCLA

2-3-0

Texas

UCLA

09.07.2015 | Soccer

Box Score

Goals from Kelsey Shimmick and Alexa Adams led the Longhorns to an impressive road triumph

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – On Sunday night in front of 1,160 fans at Drake Stadium, a fourth-minute goal from senior forward Kelsey Shimmick and the first career match-winning score by freshman forward Alexa Adams led Texas (2-2-1) to a huge 2-1 victory at No. 8 UCLA (2-3-0).

Senior goalkeeper Abby Smith was a rock alongside the UT backline, making a career-high 11 saves to top her previous single-match mark of 10 stops set on Oct. 31, 2014, against Oklahoma State.

Shimmick's tone-setting score came just 3:08 into the contest off an assist from senior defender Ali Schmalz, while Adams' goal came after beating her marker and a prone net minder to score past two scrambling defenders into an empty net at 60:51.

The Bruins out-shot the Longhorns by a 21-8 count, including 12-3 on shots on goal, but were thwarted time and again by a strong defensive effort and Smith between the pipes.

"It's all about how you respond," Texas head coach Angela Kelly said. "Friday night was disappointing for us. It was really important to me to have a really positive response tonight. I thought the team collectively refocused yesterday, and I've said it a million times, all of this (playing a tough schedule) is in preparation for our conference. Credit to UCLA, what a heck of a team they have. The difference tonight was that we put away our chances early, and we were able to hang on at the end. I'm excited for our program, excited for where we are headed and certainly very proud of our squad.

UCLA had the first chance of the match late in the second minute as forward Taylor Smith drove a ball in on frame that was stopped routinely by Smith.

It was the Longhorns that nabbed the early lead, however, against the top-10 rated Bruins, scoring just 3:08 into the contest. Having hustled up quickly from her position in the defensive backline, Schmalz fed a perfect through ball ahead inside the 18. Waiting in the middle was Shimmick, and the Grapevine, Texas, native successfully fought off her marker and slid to poke the ball past keeper Cassie Sternbach into the net for a 1-0 lead.

UCLA came within inches of answering back at the 5:43 mark as a cross from the left wing towards the right post just missed finding an on-rushing Bruin's sliding right-footed attempt before rolling over the end line for a goal kick.

Texas freshman midfielder Kayra Dollas soon made her mark on the match, out-leaping the crowd at the left post on two separate occasions to head shots just over the crossbar at 7:38 and 14:57.

Seeking an equalizer, the Bruin offense continued to threaten throughout the remainder of the half, out-shooting the Longhorns by a 10-4 total.

Forward MacKenzie Cerda fired well wide right from outside the top of the 18 at 15:36. Her next effort proved way more dangerous, however, as her shot from the right edge of the 18 forced Smith into a completely outstretched dive. The Plano, Texas, net minder just managed to get her fingertips on the ball near the left upright, forcing it straight out sideways before it was eventually cleared out of danger.

UCLA had two more golden opportunities, over a six-second stretch from 31:56 to 32:02, as back-to-back shots from 12 yards out at the left post by forward Darian Jenkins and defender Hailie Mace were stopped by a diving Smith.

UT's net minder soon made it seven saves during the opening stanza by corralling another drive from Taylor Smith at 37:28 as the Longhorns eventually took their one-goal advantage into the halftime break.

Just 2:27 into the second half, UCLA nearly dead-locked things as a shot from the right wing by midfielder Annie Alvarado traveled in on a bounce. Smith leapt fully-extended but could only get her fingertips on the ball. Thankfully for the Horns, junior defender Isabelle Kerr was stationed near the goal line and quickly cleared the orb out of danger.

During the 56th minute, the Bruins' Kodi Lavrusky managed to get into space behind the UT backline inside the 18 and rattled a dangerous shot off the crossbar. Unfortunately for UCLA, with the ball still bouncing around in the crowd out front, play was stopped as the official had his flag raised for offside.

Just a couple of minutes later, the Bruins again came close to an equalizer as Taylor Smith's drive from the left edge of the 18 rolled just inches outside the right post.

Against the run of play, Texas struck again in the 61st minute after a ball was played ahead up the right wing. With Adams battling a UCLA defender, the two collided with Sternbach as the trio all leapt at the bouncer. UCLA's net minder went down and Adams successfully fought off her marker. The Lancaster, Calif., native turned quickly, moved towards the six-yard box and fired past two scrambling defenders into an open net for a 2-0 advantage.

Now chasing the match down two scores, UCLA managed consecutive corners at 62:59 and 63:25, but failed to get off a single shot on either opportunity.

The Bruins refused to go down with a fight, however, cutting their deficit back to a single goal on a long drive from the right wing. Kaskie took a chance on a shot from well outside the 18, and it proved perfectly placed into the upper left corner of the twine to make it 2-1.

In the 80th minute Smith again came up huge for Texas with a point-blank save on another Lavrusky shot and soon followed by punching another threatening ball inside the 18 out of danger.

With the clock continuing to tick towards the end of regulation, Texas' Dollas and Shimmick combined to earn a big time-wasting corner at 85:52.

Off that corner delivery, UCLA launched a counter-attack effort, racing quickly down field. With the ball being pressured towards the 18, senior defender Brinkley Field stepped up and cleared the ball back down pitch.

Strong defensive work by Schmalz on the right side forced a UCLA shot from a tough angle with 1:27 left that drifted wide left.

The Bruins had one final chance in the closing seconds on a Mace shot from outside the 18, but it bounced right into the waiting arms of Smith as time ticked away to seal the victory.