Structure and control – a phrase which echoes through the homes of ’90s VHS guitar-playing heartthrobs – is foundational to a team’s success.

The pillars of structure and control are what seventh-year coach Ryan Jorden enjoyed most about his team’s performance in its goalless draw with then-No. 18 Maryland on Oct. 3.

“I’m nothing but pleased about the guys and how they worked tonight,” said Jorden. “That’s a much more mature performance than we had three weeks ago.”

Gaining grip of the pace, flow and energy of the game is what Jorden hopes his squad can continue building upon when UCLA men’s soccer (2-5-3, 2-2-1 Big Ten) faces Penn State (5-4-2, 1-2-1) on Friday evening at Wallis Annenberg Stadium. The matchup gives the Bruins an opportunity to break their current three-game winless streak in conference play.

Last Friday’s tie with Maryland resurrected some of the energy that followed the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation to UCLA that was lost when the Bruins failed to amass a victory within the first five matches of the campaign.

Wins against Northwestern and Wisconsin showed flashes of offensive brilliance supported by consistent defensive play. Redshirt sophomore forward Sergi Solans Oromo, the goal-scoring leader at Oregon State last year, notched goals in both matches, including an 86th-minute winner that sank the Wildcats.

Goalkeeping has been a continuous pillar in the development of a Bruin defense that has held strong against formidable opponents. Junior goalkeeper Wyatt Nelson – the recipient of two Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week awards and three shutouts last year – has remained absent from the net outside of the team’s opening match when he allowed two goals on four shots in a loss to UC Irvine.

Freshman goalkeeper Ryan Tiltack took over Nelson’s starting position after that game; however, among Big Ten goalkeepers who have started more than eight games, he ranks last in goals allowed, save percentage, clean sheets and wins.

UCLA’s draw against Maryland marked a turning point in the Bruins’ momentum, emblematic of a defensive front that has kept the team competitive no matter the deficit. The Terrapins came into the game with the fifth-highest-scoring average in the nation at 2.67 goals per game. However, graduate student goalkeeper Kevin Box led a Bruin defense that withstood a 12-8 shot disadvantage, and escaped the match with a clean sheet in his first start of the 2025 campaign.

“Give them credit, but our guys stayed with them,” Box said. “We worked hard. We blocked crosses again, and we just didn’t let them have anything.”

The Bruins maintained the pace of play during the second half as the team outshot the Terps 8-6 in the second half and created offensive pressure until the final whistle. This control is a welcoming sight for a UCLA squad that ranks last in the Big Ten in goals and second to last in assists, shots and shots on target.

“We continue to have an identity of being better and better with the ball, to manipulate the opponent and control the game with that side of it,” Jorden said.

Penn State offers a test for UCLA to challenge its newfound confidence in defensive consistency. Although initially stumbling in conference play, the Nittany Lions still remain one of the most proficient offensive teams in the nation, ranking 21st in scoring offense while averaging 2.18 goals per game. Additionally, the Nittany Lions rank second in the Big Ten in shots, shots on target and shots on target percentage. Midfielder Ben Madore and forward Van Danielson lead the team with four goals apiece.

Notably, freshman goalkeeper Jonathan Evans’ excellence in net has helped contribute to the team’s three-game winning streak – Evans has a 73.5% save percentage and garnered Big Ten Freshman of The Week honors on Tuesday.

Regardless of the frustration that has become a common theme this season, the Bruins are tied for third in the Big Ten standings. Although Jorden and company have had some heartbreakers reminiscent of ’90s teen romance flicks, hope remains alive and well leading into Friday.

“I just think that the development piece of it’s really good,” Jorden said. “I’m really happy for the guys, and I think they’ll just continue to feel it, grow from it.”