UCLA defeats SDSU with two late-game goals
Senior forward Victor Chavez celebrates with the bench after scoring the game-wining goal with just over a minute remaining.
By Derrek Li
Oct. 7, 2013 12:01 a.m.
With 1:18 left on the clock and game tied at 1-1, senior midfielder Victor Munoz streaked down past midfield before placing a perfect through pass into the right side of the penalty box for junior midfielder Leo Stolz. Stolz danced around with the ball, dribbling past two defenders before lofting a high arching rainbow pass to senior forward Victor Chavez.
With the home crowd’s excitement building up to a roar behind him, Chavez out-jumped two defenders, heading in the game-winning goal with 1:05 left in the game.
In UCLA men’s soccer’s first Pac-12 conference game, Chavez’s heroics clinched the 2-1 victory for UCLA over San Diego State at Drake Stadium on a hot Saturday afternoon, overcoming a 1-0 deficit that held until late in the second half.
“It was a very messy game, very sloppy for us, but we got the win at the end,” Chavez said. “It’s a good feeling to be able to contribute to the team like that.”
Chavez attributed the sloppiness to the ten days of rest between this game and the Bruins’ last game. He said that the break affected their touch and connection as a team.
The No. 10 Bruins were unable to muster up any legitimate scoring opportunities in the first half and could not keep control of the ball consistently. San Diego State (3-5-0, 0-1-0 Pac-12) took advantage, knocking in the first goal of the game in the 25th minute.
After halftime though, UCLA (6-2-1, 1-0-0 Pac-12) seemed to come out with some more urgency and energy as the team attacked San Diego’s defense.
“We went to three in the back when we were down 1-0 with 20 minutes to go, so we took a chance,” said coach Jorge Salcedo. “It opened up the game a little bit with three men in the back instead of four.”
Soon after the Bruins traded some defense for more offense, as a pair of freshmen combined to tie the game at 1-1. Freshman midfielder Brian Iloski dribbled through a couple of defenders before launching a shot at goal. The Aztec goalkeeper blocked the shot, but was unable to control the ball. Freshman forward Kevin De La Torre beat everyone to the ball, scoring the equalizer and his first career UCLA goal.
“It means a lot; it’s the beginning of my season and it got off on a good start,” De La Torre said. “I came into the game wanting to help my team; I got a goal and I just felt so exhilarated.”
With only three men on the back defending line, UCLA gave San Diego State a several chances to respond, but key plays made by redshirt junior goalkeeper Earl Edwards and the rest of the backline made sure that the Aztecs would only score once.
With the first conference win in the bag, the Bruins hope that they have put behind the rust and sloppiness and will be ready for a visiting Stanford team on Thursday night.
“We have to be better than we were in the first half come Thursday night,” Salcedo said. “I don’t think we had a great performance, but we’re happy with the result.”
