Women’s soccer reflects on season’s achievements, looks ahead to fall

Though the Bruins were unable to make a deep run in North Carolina, their season was full of accomplishments.

UCLA women’s soccer (13-1-3, 9-1-1 Pac-12) bowed out in the third round of the NCAA tournament after losing in a penalty shootout 1-1 (6-5) to Clemson (12-5-2, 5-3-0 ACC) to end its season. The loss marked the first time since 2016 the Bruins did not qualify for the quarterfinals and the third time in five years they have exited on penalty kicks.

To force the overtime periods and penalty shootout against the Tigers, the blue and gold netted an 87th-minute equalizer – its seventh goal coming in the 85th minute or later this year. Two of the seven late scores came off the foot of freshman forward Reilyn Turner one week prior to the third-round matchup in UCLA’s 2-1 victory over Iowa in the second round of the tournament.

“There was just never a question if we were going to be able to come back,” said senior midfielder Marley Canales. “We saw that against Iowa. It was the belief that we were not going to lose and (that) we were going to try and come back. In that Clemson game, I knew that we were going to be OK because our style of play is so promising. So it’s partially our play and just our mentality, but even with that, sometimes you still come up short.”

Before packing its bags for North Carolina, UCLA clinched the Pac-12 title for the first time since 2014, and two days later, notched a win against Stanford also for the first time in seven years. En route to the conference title, the blue and gold only dropped points in two games – a home overtime loss to Arizona State and an away tie against USC.

“We came up short one championship, but we got the Pac-12, and we hadn’t done that in a long time,” said coach Amanda Cromwell. “We got to take it for the season as a whole and not just one game.”

Although the Bruins ended their season with 13 wins and not in the high teens like previous years because of a condensed nonconference schedule, their .853 winning percentage was yet another program high since the 2014 season when they posted a .917 mark.

UCLA reached this threshold while facing significant absences from its two senior preseason MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List candidates – midfielder Viviana Villacorta and defender Lucy Parker. Villacorta missed all but one game after suffering a torn ACL in the opening fixture of the season, while Parker sat out 10 games before returning for the Clemson matchup.

In their absence, first-year players made big contributions to the squad as the freshmen recorded a total of 17 goals and 14 assists.

Freshman midfielder Michaela Rosenbaum played in a defensive role, joining sophomore Brianne Riley and redshirt senior Jacey Pederson on the backline for a large portion of the season. Freshman midfielder Aislynn Crowder shored up an otherwise mostly senior midfield, feeding fellow freshman forwards Turner, Kaila Novak and redshirt freshman Sunshine Fontes.

Turner – the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year – led the team in goals with 11, while sophomore forward Mia Fishel netted six to go along with six assists.

“I’m so excited to spend my last season with (this) current freshman class,” Canales said. “I know we’re going to have a chip on our shoulder and come out hungry. From the top down, we’re going to be very solid.”

Because of the delayed start to the season, three of this year’s five departing seniors were selected in the National Women’s Soccer League Draft in January before UCLA’s schedule had begun.

Villacorta, Parker and senior midfielder Delanie Sheehan opted to conclude their collegiate careers at UCLA before beginning their professional careers in the NWSL.

“The seniors are phenomenal,” Cromwell said. “We’re blessed to have had them. Especially the ones going pro, they could’ve left. We really appreciate what they did to stay. Their commitment to the team and their love for the team was fun to witness. It’s not always like that – there’s no ego. There was no, ‘It’s about me.’ It was about everyone else.”

Sheehan – a MAC Hermann semifinalist and First-Team All-American – said she was pleased with the work she and her senior teammates have accomplished on and off the field during their time in Westwood.

“I’m really proud of us,” Sheehan said. “We not only have made an impact on the field but have impacted the culture and left a stamp on the team and this program of what we expect of our team and others.”

Cromwell said with the abrupt end to the postseason she will miss watching her team play and is looking forward to the future.

“One of the things that makes it so sad is I really want to watch this team play,” Cromwell said. “They’re so fun to watch. It’s a great style we play. We have exciting players – skillful players. That’s what I really miss. Obviously winning a championship is fun and that’s the end goal but along the way, I love watching this team play and this freshman class. … The future is definitely bright.”

As the 2020 season started six months later than usual, the Bruins will have about three months before they are back in competition at Wallis Annenberg Stadium, preparing for a run for their second national championship.