News Summary
The Penn State men’s soccer team faced UCLA and was defeated 2-0, marking a challenging matchup as they aimed to improve their Big Ten play record. With only two shots on goal, Penn State struggled against UCLA’s possession strategy. The loss puts pressure on them to secure a spot in the Big Ten Tournament. The team looks to rebound in their upcoming match against Northwestern, having previously celebrated a dominant 7-1 victory over King’s College.
Los Angeles, California – Penn State men’s soccer team faced off against UCLA on Friday, October 10, where they suffered a 2-0 defeat at Wallis Annenberg Stadium. UCLA secured the victory with goals scored in the 15th and 63rd minutes of the match, resulting in Penn State managing only two shots on goal throughout the game.
The loss drops Penn State’s record to 5-5-2 overall, with a 1-3-1 mark in Big Ten play. This performance puts additional pressure on the team as they aim to secure a spot in the Big Ten Tournament and seek an NCAA Tournament bid, which would mark their first since 2021.
Penn State recently had a strong showing in their previous match where they demolished King’s College (DIII) 7-1, celebrating a dominant victory. Redshirt-freshman Jonathan Evans had recently been recognized as the Big Ten Freshman of the Week after showcasing his goalkeeping skills, making eight saves and allowing only one goal in his earlier appearances.
Heading into the match against UCLA, the Nittany Lions were looking to change their all-time record against the Bruins, which stood at 0-5-1, including a 2-2 draw in their last encounter. Despite strong expectations from the season—with 75% of their goal scoring and 73% of overall scoring returning from the previous year—the team struggled against UCLA’s strong possession play.
Key players for Penn State include Malick Daouda, Caden Grabfelder, and Kai Phillip, all of whom were named Big Ten Players to Watch prior to the season. The team also faced challenges with freshman defender Ben Nash, who had been called up by the Canadian U18 National Team, causing him to miss two matches. Grabfelder and Matthew Henderson are among the top scorers from last season, contributing to the team’s overall attacking efforts.
UCLA, under head coach Ryan Jorden, has had a mixed season with a current record of 2-5-3 and standing 3-2-1 in Big Ten play. They tied their previous match against No. 18 Maryland, and their performance in the preseason had ranked them fourth in the league. The Bruins’ win against Penn State adds to their overall record of 50-45-21 since Jorden took charge.
The next matchup for Penn State will take place at Jeffrey Field, where they will host Northwestern on Friday, October 17, in a highly anticipated White Out game.
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Additional Resources
- GOPSUSports: UCLA’s Strong Possession Game Leads to 2-0 Loss for Penn State
- PSU Collegian: Penn State Men’s Soccer Falls to UCLA
- UCLA Bruins: Bruins Take Down Penn State 2-0
- Wikipedia: Penn State Nittany Lions Men’s Soccer
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Soccer
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