It can feel unstoppable when shots are flying into the back of the net, but this does not happen every game.

And the Bruins struggled to warm up their shooting boots on a chilly night.

No. 9 UCLA women’s soccer (8-4-1, 4-2-1 Big Ten) fell to Wisconsin (10-3-1, 4-2-1) 1-0 Thursday night in Madison. The Bruins have now lost back-to-back away games by the same scoreline.

UCLA has allowed only five goals across 13 games this season. However, in the five games where they conceded – all with just one goal – the Bruins have lost four times and managed one tie.

“It is absolutely unacceptable at this point in the season that they have one clear chance they score, and we have 14 shots and no goals,” coach Margueritte Aozasa said.

UCLA averages just one goal per game, which is significantly less than last season’s 1.42 mark. The squad’s lower conversion rate this year along with an average of four less shots per game could be driving UCLA’s offensive struggles.

And the repeated story of inefficient shot-taking played out in Thursday’s matchup.

Although the Bruins outshot the Badgers seven to one in the first half, they could not score. Wisconsin goalkeeper Drew Stover had four saves including a tip that deflected the ball over the crossbar on a long-distance effort from senior forward Lily Boyden.

“It was one of the more demanding games, pretty transitional,” sophomore defender Paloma Daubert said. “Even though we have most of the possession, if we still cannot score, then that one is on us.”

Still, the first half was an improvement from the team’s performance against Washington last week in which UCLA had no first-half shots.

Wisconsin defender Kiara Gilmore floated a corner kick towards the penalty spot where midfielder/forward Adee Boer connected on the volley, rocketing the ball into the bottom left corner of the net in the 54th minute to give Wisconsin the lead.

UCLA recorded an additional seven shots in the second half but Stover – who finished with a total of seven saves – denied its efforts each time. Sophomore forward Kara Croone appeared dangerous – receiving the ball inside the box multiple times – but could not reach the back of the net, and she launched a shot into the side netting with just minutes to go.

“Especially those last 20 minutes, we really saw a push,” redshirt senior midfielder Emma Egizii said. “We are capable of getting all these shots off, but now it is a matter of getting them on frame.”

The Bruins still have a chance to round out their three-game away series with a victory Sunday after already sustaining two losses on this road stint.

“I think losses are good sometimes because you are exposed for your weaknesses,” Egizii said. “We can take that and use it as a clear sign about things to improve.”