Women’s soccer prepares for game against defending national champions
Freshman defender Lilly Reale and UCLA women’s soccer will have the chance to tally four straight shutouts for the first time since 2014. But the Bruins will be up against the defending national champions. (Lauren Man/Daily Bruin senior staff)
Women's Soccer
Santa Clara
Thursday, 7 p.m.
Wallis Annenberg Stadium
Pac-12 Networks
Cal State Northridge
Monday, 6 p.m.
Wallis Annenberg Stadium
UCLA Live Stream-2
By Jay Fenn
Sept. 9, 2021 3:29 p.m.
The Bruins have the chance to start 5-0 for the second consecutive season.
But standing in their way are the defending national champions.
No. 4 UCLA women’s soccer (4-0) will face off against its first ranked opponent of the season when it takes on No. 8 Santa Clara (3-1-2) at Wallis Annenberg Stadium on Thursday night before finishing off its two-game homestand against Cal State Northridge (1-5) on Monday night. In 2019, the Bruins’ quest for a 5-0 start was denied by the Broncos, when they defeated the blue and gold 2-0.
As the Bruins are looking for their first win against the Broncos since 2017, coach Amanda Cromwell said the team is coming into the match with a positive mindset.
“The summation of our games, our body of work, is what gives us confidence moving forward,” Cromwell said.
Santa Clara features three players on the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List – forward Izzy D’Aquila, defender Alex Loera and forward Kelsey Turnbow.
The Bruins’ defense will be tasked with slowing down D’Aquila and Turnbow, who have combined to score four goals this year after scoring a total of 18 last season.
Cromwell said the two first-team All-WCC forwards will really test her defense.
“They’re very good, they’re quick, they’re tenacious, they’re crafty, they’re deceptive – so our backs have to be on point,” Cromwell said. “We have to be smart on the ball because we don’t want to have any careless turnovers for counter-attacks.”
UCLA will enter the game with three consecutive clean sheets and the chance to tally four straight shutouts for the first time since 2014.
Freshman defender Lilly Reale said the defense will need to continue to play how it has played the past three games in order to shut down D’Aquila, Turnbow and the Santa Clara attack.
“We’ve actually watched a couple of their games,” Reale said. “They’re just fun to watch in general. (We just have to) try and stay composed when we have the ball, but on defense, that level of composure that we can keep to not get completely beat down the side or the middle.”
UCLA is coming off a three-goal performance against Loyola Marymount, in which it tallied a season-high 22 shots. All three of those goals were scored by sophomore forward Reilyn Turner, who notched the first Bruin hat trick since Hailie Mace did so in 2017 against Santa Clara – the last time the Bruins beat the Broncos.
Turner said she thinks the offense’s experience against various formations will be a huge advantage when it comes to facing a defense led by an All-American on the backline in Loera.
“We’ve faced a lot of different formations and tactics and different teams this year and just coming in with experience knowing how to break down certain defenses,” Turner said. “It’ll help us playing Santa Clara, with the talent they have in the back and all across the field.”
UCLA and Santa Clara will kick off Thursday at 7 p.m. before the Bruins return to Wallis Annenberg Stadium on Monday night to square off against CSUN.
