The Bruins have equalized at .500 halfway through Pac-12 play, but the journey to that point has been more up and down than the record reveals.

UCLA men’s soccer (6-4-1, 2-2-1 Pac-12) bounced back from two consecutive losses to claim a 2-0 victory against conference rival San Diego State on Friday at home. Aside from a 2-0 loss to Portland, each of the blue and gold’s four losses has been decided by one goal.

Coach Ryan Jorden said the team’s demanding schedule contributed to its dip in form and required perseverance on the physical and mental sides.

“Playing against Grand Canyon with 10 men and then immediately going on the road to play against Portland, Stanford and Cal was a big challenge for us,” Jorden said. “Last week, we weren’t able to score and dropped two results against good teams.”

Nevertheless, Jorden said he is confident the team is equipped to succeed going forward, especially if it is more assertive on the offensive end.

“We have to continue to grow in the manner that we attack in games and take leads more forcefully,” Jorden said. “But these growing pains are a part of the evolution of a team within a season.”

After managing only three wins in their last eight matches, the Bruins have fallen out of the top-25 rankings for just the second week this year but will seek to regain their place with a string of wins in their upcoming fixtures. The blue and gold’s next match will be a nonconference contest against Loyola Marymount on the road Friday.

“At this point of the year, from an RPI perspective, every game is at the exact same level of importance in order to qualify for the NCAA tournament,” Jorden said. “So all we can focus on is putting in really good performances, creating good chances and defending well.”

One stronghold for the team has been junior defender Tommy Silva, who leads the team in assists with four. Silva scored his first goal of the season against San Diego State after an aggressive high press forced a mistake from the Aztec goalkeeper, who smashed the ball directly at Silva in an attempted clearance before the ball bounced into the goal.

Silva said his physical stamina has helped him contribute to winning efforts in both facets of the game, despite playing at left back.

“I think that my biggest strengths are my endurance and my ability to cover ground,” Silva said. “I’ve used that to be a threat offensively but also fulfill my duties defensively.”

Another key player has been sophomore goalkeeper Nate Crockford, who has played every minute of the season so far. He stepped into the limelight last season after a head injury to then-senior Justin Garces forced Crockford into the starting lineup.

Crockford has accumulated 30 saves on the season and said that despite having to adjust to the pressure, he is embracing the role.

“The intensity that I have to bring to every game is a lot different than what I’m used to,” Crockford said. “Being mentally locked in for every training session and the full 90 each time out is something that I’ve been focusing on.”

With a chance to start a new winning streak and eyeing a return to the rankings, the Bruins will be back in action on Friday at Loyola Marymount at 7 p.m.