Team opens conference games with wins

  KELSEY RETTING Adolfo Gregorio dribbles
the ball downfield in a 2-0 shutout of Cal. UCLA
d. Cal 2-0 UCLA d. Stanford 2-1

By Jon Corwin
Daily Bruin Contributor

What a way to start the Pac-10 portion of the season for the
UCLA men’s soccer team. After struggling to a .500 mark in
non-conference play, the Bruins triumphed over previously
undefeated Stanford on Sunday. The victory came on the heels of the
Bruins’ snapping of Cal’s six-game unbeaten streak at
Drake Stadium Friday.

UCLA (6-4-2, 2-0 Pac-10) maintained their perfect Pac-10 record
with a thrilling 2-1 victory at home over second-ranked Stanford
(9-1-0, 0-1 Pac-10) in front of a crowd of 3,466 noisy fans.

The Bruins maintained the momentum they had gained in their
victory over Cal to take an early advantage over the Cardinal.

Sophomore midfielder Dru Hoshimiya gave UCLA the lead in the
13th minute on a header off the corner kick of junior midfielder
Ryan Futagaki.

“This team is united. We’re just taking it one game
at a time,” Hoshimiya said.

UCLA’s defense stifled Stanford’s offense until the
72nd minute when senior midfielder Derek Shanahan chipped one over
the head of UCLA goalkeeper Zach Wells for his fifth goal of the
season. But the Bruins refused to settle for a tie, as junior
forward Tim Pierce scored his team-leading fifth goal of the year
on a booming shot that found the back of the net, eluding the
outstretched hands of Cardinal goalkeeper Andrew Terris. The goal
came with less than two minutes remaining in the contest, giving
UCLA the lead for good.

After scoring the game winning goal, Pierce lifted up his shirt
and dashed along the sidelines in celebration, sending the home
crowd and UCLA band into a frenzy.

“It was the biggest goal of my soccer career. This is a
great win for us,” Pierce said.

The Bruins began the weekend with a 2-0 victory over Cal on
Friday, behind goals from sophomore midfielder Adolfo Gregorio and
Ryan Futagaki.

Gregorio came off the bench to give UCLA the early lead with a
39th minute goal. The squad’s second score came in the 71st
minute after freshman forward Phillip Harr was fouled in the
penalty area. Futagaki scored on the resulting penalty kick,
securing a victory for the Bruins in their Pac-10 opener.

Coming off the surprising win against Cal, Drake Stadium was
buzzing in anticipation of the Bruins’ contest with the
high-powered Cardinal. UCLA did not disappoint, limiting Stanford
to nine shots on goal, with Wells making three saves in the
victory.