LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Penn State’s trip west ended a three-match win streak as the Nittany Lions dropped a 2-0 road decision to UCLA on Friday night at Wallis Annenberg Stadium. The Bruins boasted nearly 51 minutes of possession, and as a result allowed just two shots on goal from the Nittany Lions for more than 70 minutes of the game to help the home team to a clean sheet.
Penn State falls to 5-5-2 (1-3-1 B1G) with the loss, while UCLA improves to 3-5-3 (3-2-1 B1G).
HOW IT HAPPENED
First half
Freshman Ben Nash helped draw a Penn State corner kick in the opening two minutes, but a clear and quick counter by the Bruins ended with the home team getting a shot inside the Penn State box. The chance was blocked out of play by the PSU backline to force a UCLA corner, a chance that also came up empty.
UCLA scored on a back door header in the 15th minute to take a 1-0 lead early.
A promising opportunity came on a buildup in the 31st minute that saw a cross from Kai Phillip connect with Davy Leavey in the Bruin’s 18-yard box, but the UCLA goalkeeper came out of his six to make the stop as Leavey connected with the ball. The ball popped off the netminder’s chest and Leavey got another look at the goal but pushed the ball right back into the keeper’s hands.
The Bruins allowed just the two Nittany Lion shots following their goal, dominating possession for a majority of the remainder of the first half, controlling a 1-0 lead at the break.
Second half
UCLA held nearly exclusive possession coming out of the halftime break, forcing Penn State to hold strong primarily in its defensive half.
PSU finally got a chance on a free kick in an advantageous position to the left side of the visitor’s 18 in the 60th minute. Grabfelder eyed up the boot, but his ball went long, forcing a difficult Penn State header that ended in a goal kick for UCLA.
The Bruins tacked on a second goal in the 63rd minute to boost the lead to two on an effective transition build up.
Matthew Henderson nearly had an olympico in the 78th minute, but the ball needed just a few more inches as it crashed off the Bruin crossbar.
The 85th minute saw another great chance by the Nittany Lions when a long ball cross from Malick Daouda found the head of Danielson inside the UCLA penalty box, but the Bruin goalkeeper made the save.
PSU was held off the boards as the game wound down, closing in on a two-goal win for the home team.
OF NOTE
- Freshman goalkeeper Jonathan Evans made three save in the contest.
- UCLA remains unbeaten in Big Ten games at home this season.
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions are off again for another week before hosting Northwestern for the team’s White Out. Penn State will take on the Wildcats on Friday, October 17 at Jeffrey Field back home in University Park, Pennsylvania. Kickoff at is set for 7 p.m. Action will be streamed live on B1G+.