This post was updated Oct. 30 at 10:27 p.m.

No. 3 seed UCLA women’s soccer (10-4-3, 6-2-3 Big Ten) will kick off its second Big Ten Tournament outing with a quarterfinal matchup against No. 6 seed Penn State (9-6-3, 5-4-2) on Saturday in West Lafayette, Indiana. A win against the Nittany Lions would secure the Bruins a spot in the tournament semifinal, where they would face either No. 2 seed Michigan State (10-3-5, 7-1-3), No. 7 seed Northwestern (8-3-7, 4-2-5) or No. 10 seed USC (7-6-3, 4-5-2) for a chance to clinch their spot in the Big Ten championship game at Energizer Park in St. Louis next week. The Bruins are looking to defend their title after taking home the trophy in their inaugural conference campaign. Members of the Daily Bruin Sports women’s soccer beat give their predictions for the Bruins’ tournament performance.

Ella Dunderdale
Assistant Sports editor
Prediction: Loss in semifinals

The Bruins have the talent to make it all the way.

The squad boasts pure talent, with technique and precision to its game that is fun to watch, grinding down defense after defense while cooking up a handful of strategic set pieces.

The young squad – which boasts 20 underclassmen – has found its stride throughout the season, with depth that keeps it fresh from start to finish.

UCLA shut out then-No. 1 Stanford and then-No. 5 Iowa, controlling possession with a clever offense paired with the “possess to defend” mindset that has earned it 12 shutouts and a 0.29 goals-against-average clip, the lowest in the nation.

But despite the Bruins’ talent, inconsistencies have plagued them.

Whiplash has marked the Bruins’ campaign. They started their season with a pair of ranked shutout losses, following it up with an eight-game unbeaten streak that brought the Bruins to the upper echelon of the Big Ten – only to stumble in an away series where they dropped a pair of games.

Even when the Bruins battled crosstown rival USC – a squad that has lingered in the bottom half of the conference and has allowed 22 goals this season, a far cry from UCLA’s five forfeited goals – the match ended in a stalemate as the Bruins failed to muster a single goal despite recording 19 shots.

If all goes well, the Bruins could go all the way and return home with their second Big Ten Tournament trophy.

But to me, this squad that boasts a 0.375 away win percentage and struggles to find the back of the net away from Wallis Annenberg stadium may not have the fortitude to achieve championship glory in St. Louis.

Finn Karish
Daily Bruin contributor
Prediction: Loss in championship

After a lockdown year for the UCLA defense, difficulties finding the back of the net could hold the Bruins back from their full postseason potential.

UCLA has conceded only 0.29 goals per game this season – a significant decrease from 2024’s 0.42 mark. In fact, no opponent has managed to put up more than one goal against the squad.

Despite the defensive achievements, the Bruins recorded four losses and three ties in the regular season, losing four of the five games in which they conceded a goal and tying two games 0-0. Their 1.12 goals-per-game mark has left points on the table in key matchups.

Two recent 3-0 victories against No. 13 Iowa and Nebraska do showcase UCLA’s potential for explosive performances, and replicating these results will be the X-factor for a deep run in the Big Ten Tournament. Key scorers including sophomore forward Bella Winn – who has six goals on the season – will have to find a rhythm to propel the team forward.

The Bruins do have experience on their side, as they took home the Big Ten trophy last season. The 2025 campaign has also shown that they have what it takes to win big games, with their 2-0 victory against then-No. 1 Stanford on Sept. 7.

In the end, UCLA’s defensive prowess may be sufficient to take it to the Big Ten Championship match.

But they will need an injection of goal-scoring efficiency to ultimately take home the title.

Chloe Agas
Daily Bruin staff
Prediction: Tournament champions

At this rate, I’m starting to question what this squad can’t do.

If you told me the Bruins would not concede a single goal against a then-No. 1 ranked team, I would have called you crazy. But to say that there isn’t another chance at hardware? That’s crazier.

The numbers speak for themselves. Coach Margueritte Aozasa’s squad has outshot their opponents 253 to 111, averaging 14.9 shots per game. Nearly half of those chances have landed on frame, compared to a 41.4% mark for UCLA’s opponents.

Although the Bruins’ defense has conceded five goals this season, with one against No. 1 seed Washington, they have limited their opponents to 6.5 shots per match and have not allowed more than one goal from their opponents all season.

But there still is a rough journey ahead.

After a quarterfinal bout against No. 5 seed Penn State on Saturday, the squad will face either No. 2 seed Michigan State or the winner of the No. 10 seed USC and No. 7 seed Northwestern first-round matchup for a place in the semifinal and a shot of championship contention.

The Bruins will have to tread new ground to pull off the win, as the Spartans and Trojans restricted the Bruins to a draw in the regular season, and the Bruins have yet to face the Wildcats this season.

But between the cracks, Aozasa has set the tempo, and the Bruins have found their beat. And with postseason around the corner, there is nothing I would want more than another conference title for the Bruins.

It’s not selfish if it’s backed by a trophy, right?