It can be difficult for a team struggling with execution to swiftly improve.

The Bruins experienced that firsthand this week.

No. 4 UCLA women’s soccer (1-2) was shut out by No. 19 BYU (2-0-1) on Saturday evening at a sold-out South Field in Provo, Utah. The 1-0 loss mirrored Wednesday’s loss to No. 6 Tennessee, with several trends shared across both performances.

Despite 19 total shots, the Bruins only managed to get three on frame.

“There’s nothing else to say other than we need to be better,” said Coach Margueritte Aozasa. “At the end of the day, we can’t win games if we don’t score goals.”

The lone goal was given up in the first half – similar to the Bruins’ last contest.

A penalty kick was awarded to the Cougars after freshman midfielder Grace Shank committed a foul in the 13th minute. Cougar forward Ellie Walbruch sent the ball into the upper left corner of the net to score against her former team – she was part of UCLA’s 2022 national championship squad, transferring to BYU the following season.

Freshman goalkeeper Daphne Nakfoor anticipated the ball’s trajectory and made contact with it, but she was unable to stop it from spiraling into the net.

The Bruins outshot the Cougars 19-11 and earned 11 corner kicks compared to their opponent’s six. But the squad was unable to capitalize on their shot opportunities for the second game this week.

“I don’t think we had our rhythm and just started off kind of slow, which has been a struggle of ours,” said redshirt senior forward Lexi Wright. “I don’t think we showcased what we have.”

Although UCLA failed to convert – players sailed numerous shots above or wide of the goalposts – the team flashed offensive depth, with 10 players taking shots.

The Bruins’ final hope for an equalizer came in the 83rd minute, when Wright sent the ball flying towards the bottom right corner. But Cougar goalkeeper Paiton Collins dove to make the stop. Collins tallied three saves, all of which came in the match’s final 50 minutes.

The unfamiliar environment may have impacted UCLA’s performance Saturday evening, since a combination of longer grass with the 4,549-foot elevation slowed play and accelerated fatigue. And South Field’s packed stadium of cheering fans helped bolster the competitive atmosphere.

“Having a sold-out crowd is fun,” said sophomore forward Kara Croone. “It makes it an intense environment, so it’s a good change.”

Despite a lack of offensive precision, the Bruins’ defensive corps held the Cougars to just three shots on goal – including the penalty kick – without their usual reinforcements.

Freshman defender Meila Brewer was called up to play in a pair of games with the U-17 Women’s National Team, and was therefore absent during Saturday’s contest.

Both teams brought physicality to the match, resulting in the delivery of two yellow cards for each squad. The Bruins committed 10 fouls, and the Cougars collected seven.

“In a game like this – where it’s kind of a hostile environment against a fast, physical team – you’re gonna see a lot of fouls,” Aozasa said. “What I can appreciate, though, is we try not to back down from anything. We try to meet the physicality of the game.”

Physicality does not come without a toll, however, and the Bruins return to Westwood more battered than before.

Wright – still recovering from an injury that sidelined her in 2024 – tweaked her groin in the seventh minute and exited for the remainder of the first half. In the 71st minute, senior forward Bridgette Marin-Valencia limped off the field after suffering an apparent ankle injury, sitting out the remainder of the match.

With another week under their belts in the 2025 campaign, the Bruins can return home and focus on improvement for their next challenge – facing Long Beach State on Aug. 29.

“I feel like we can capitalize on our chances more and clean up some of our finishing touches,” Croone said. “This loss was a good learning step for us.”