The “Den operations” are a cornerstone of the UCLA athletics ecosystem, renowned for their unwavering support.

At every home game, they’re there – energizing the crowd with chants and the iconic eight claps, proving their vital role in creating an electrifying atmosphere.

No. 10 UCLA women’s soccer (12-2-2, 7-0-1 Big Ten) is saying farewell to Big Ten travel as it heads back to Westwood to face No. 16 Penn State (11-3-2, 5-2-1) and No. 15 Ohio State (10-2-3, 5-1-2) on Thursday and Sunday, respectively, at Wallis Annenberg Stadium.

“The Den at UCLA, we love when they come to our games,” said senior defender Jayden Perry. “They just bring so much energy, if we score it’s so loud. If the ref makes a bad call, we are uplifted by them. They start the chants and get the crowd going. When we have the crowd behind us, it gives us that extra energy to get the game finished.”

This week’s matchups pose a challenge as the Bruins face two top goal-scoring threats.

Ohio State forward Kailyn Dudukovich holds second place in total goals in the NCAA with 15, while Penn State forward Kaitlyn Macbean has contributed 13 goals – ranking fourth.

Penn State is riding high with back-to-back victories, after dominating both Minnesota and No. 18 Maryland, scoring a total of eight goals and firing 28 shots over the two contests.

Meanwhile, the Bruins have officially broken into the National Coaches Poll, landing at No. 10, after an extended absence.

Coach Margueritte Aozasa recently reached a milestone of 50 wins in just 60 matches coached with the Bruins. And with a return to Westwood, Aozasa has the opportunity to celebrate the achievement with fans.

“I think we are really looking forward to our games at home against two very good opponents,” Aozasa said. “It’s always nice to play our opponents at home.”

UCLA is riding the wave of a six-point haul on their recent trip outside of Westwood, where it secured victories over Northwestern and Illinois.

The Bruins now hold a 7-0-1 conference record with only one tie against the Badgers. Graduate student goalkeeper Ryan Campbell still holds the top spot in the NCAA for shutouts with 11 under her belt.

“We were connecting, we were running the ball, and we were able to circulate the ball, and I liked the way we were able to build today,” said junior midfielder Sofia Cook.

As the regular season draws to a close, one thing is certain: The energy of playing at home is a motivator.

“We are super excited for our next two home games because they are big games for us,” Perry said. “Being able to play at Wally (Wallis Annenberg) and being able to play in front of our fans, our whole team, our families, it’s such a great opportunity and the best atmosphere we can ask for.”

UCLA faces Penn State this Thursday at 7 p.m., with a subsequent matchup against Ohio State on Sunday at 1 p.m.