This post was updated Nov. 2 at 11:18 a.m.

The NCAA soccer season spans from August to December – a time period long enough to foster dramatic surprises and upsets.

But the Bruins have managed to maintain one consistent pattern throughout their three months of play: If its opponent scores, UCLA does not win.

Until Saturday night.

After trailing 1-0 at the half, No. 3 seed UCLA women’s soccer (11-4-3, 6-2-3) bounced back to defeat No. 6 seed Penn State (9-7-3, 5-4-2) 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament Saturday in West Lafayette. 

“This was huge,” said coach Margueritte Aozasa. “We really took it as, ‘This is our time to practice the skills and mentality we’re going to need to make a long run in the playoffs.’”

Momentum has been a key issue for the Bruins throughout their 2025-26 campaign, who, in their four losses this season, have started slow, regained their poise in the second half but still run out of time to equalize.

But in Saturday’s affair, the Bruins broke the seasonlong pattern, scoring two goals in under twenty minutes to secure a trip to the Big Ten tournament semifinals.

“Everyone has plenty of experience, and we needed to come into the second half with a good mentality, with a mentality of staying together and using each other’s energy to really propel each other throughout the whole second half,” said senior forward America Frias. “The difference between this and other games when we got scored on first was the mentality that we were going to come back.”

The Bruin backline held the Nittany Lions to eight shots throughout the affair. However, the defensive front produced several uncharacteristic slip-ups in the first half, including a pass by senior defender Jennie Immethun to Penn State forward Kaitlyn MacBean in the box, and a shot from MacBean minutes later that slipped beyond freshman goalkeeper Daphne Nakfoor’s grasp, allowing Penn State to take an early lead.

The Bruins’ offense dominated possession throughout the contest, taking 26 shots to the Nittany Lions’ eight, but failed to execute on most opportunities. Fifteen of UCLA’s shots sailed off frame, while others lacked power and were saved by Penn State goalkeeper Mackenzie Gress.

Redshirt freshman Bella Winn provided the equalizer in the second half, displaying her scoring consistency with her seventh goal of the season. In a run downfield, junior forward Oruha Hayashi approached Gress, distracting the goalie long enough to tap a pass to redshirt freshman Winn, who netted the ball into a wide-open goal. 

After a Nittany Lion foul sent Hayashi to the ground in the 62nd minute, Winn took a penalty kick with a shot to the bottom right of the net that Gress blocked. But the Nittany Lions weren’t safe, as sophomore forward Jordan Geis followed up on the deflection, drilling a shot into the top center of the net with her first goal of the season and second game-winning goal of her career.

“I saw the goalie block, and I was like, ‘OK, I have to get that rebound,’” Geis said. “I was very focused on the next play and making sure we stayed up.”

The Nittany Lions took a physical approach to defense, pressing freshman forward Leena Powell – who primarily drove the ball down the field – on the left side of attack. Frias and freshman midfielder Laila Edris both took hits in the first half that left them limping. 

“We knew Penn State was a gritty, hardworking opponent, so we knew if we were going to beat them, we were going to have to outwork them,” Frias said. “Penn State is a very strong, physical team, but we match that and even did it a little better tonight.”

After Penn State forward Amelia White made it through UCLA’s back line in the 58th minute, Nakfoor was left to defend two back-to-back shots on goal – diving to save one in the bottom right of the net and tapping another one over the top of the post.

And the Bruins responded to the Nittany Lion force, led by redshirt senior midfielder Emma Egizii, who picked up seven shots, an assist – and four fouls. 

Saturday’s 40 degree, windy conditions were unconventional for the Bruins, who have played in the warm climate of Los Angeles for the past two weeks.

But defeating the Nittany Lions by one goal in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals is a familiar place for the Bruins, who shut out Penn State 1-0 in 2024.

“They came together at halftime and they just rallied,” Aozasa said. “There was a ton of belief through the group.”