UCLA men’s soccer displays determination in overcoming early trials
Senior Larry Ndjock said that UCLA really wanted to set the rhythm of its games against Virginia Commonwealth and UC Irvine last weekend. The forward scored his second penalty kick goal Friday afternoon, helping the Bruins to a 2-1 win. (Hannah Ye/Daily Bruin senior staff)
By TuAnh Dam
Sept. 30, 2015 7:51 a.m.
When the UCLA men’s soccer captain Leo Stolz, the team leader in assists and scoring, left for the MLS draft, seven goal-scorers have stepped up to fill the offensive void.
Led by sophomore forward Seyi Adekoya’s six goals, UCLA men’s soccer (4-4-0) is on pace to match last season’s .163 shooting percentage.
Losing senior goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr. and defender Aaron Simmons, however, left a gaping hole in the Bruins’ backline.
After giving up just five goals in the 2014 nonconference schedule, the Bruins were recently unable to stop the scoring avalanche by opponents. In the last 8 games, UCLA has been outshot .182 to .148 while giving up 16 goals, including four in a loss to UC Santa Barbara.
Coach Jorge Salcedo and his staff cited the team’s lack of consistency as a source of its early struggles .
“The fact that we haven’t been consistent on the year is obviously problematic,” Salcedo said. “We need to find a way to be more consistent from one game to the next.”
After holding VCU to one goal in its late Friday afternoon win, UCLA aimed to utilize a stifling defense against UC Irvine (2-5-2) just two days later.
“We said we wanted to be the team that sets up the tempo, the team that sets the rhythm of the game,” said senior forward Larry Ndjock.
But the Bruins’ defensive stand against the Anteaters began disastrously when they lost freshman defender Malcolm Jones to an early red card. Down a player, UCLA’s backline was unable to slow down UCI as they scored three goals in rapid succession.
With its defense crumbling, UCLA instead turned to its grit and heart to claw back in the second half.
Behind two Adekoya goals and another pair by freshman midfielder Jose Hernandez, the Bruins forced overtime and came away with just their fourth win of the season.
“(I’m) proud of the guys, proud of the determination they showed,” Salcedo said. “They showed a heart of a champion. Now the key is to build on it next week.”
This weekend, UCLA looks to test its defense at unranked Oregon State and No. 15 Washington, teams they held to three goals in four meetings a year ago. Against the Beavers and the Huskies, the Bruins look to extend their win streak with heart, talent and teamwork.
“We’re a talented team, a mentally strong team,” Adekoya said. “We’re taking this season and turning it around.”
With only three games standing between UCLA and a matchup with conference foe No. 3 Stanford (7-1), the Bruins have a chance to prove themselves and put the doubts and losses behind them.
