No. 4 UCLA (3-0-0) vs. No. 24 Grand Canyon
Date/Time: Monday, September 5 – 7:00 PM (PT)
Venue: Los Angeles, California (Wallis Annenberg Stadium)
TV: Pac-12 Networks
TV talent: Christian Miles
Audio: UCLABruins.com
Audio talent: Nick Koop
Stream: Pac-12.com / Pac-12 Now App
Live stats
MAP INFORMATION
Tickets: ucla Bruins.com/tickets (all tickets are digital)
UCLA students free with BruinCard
Parking: buy in advance on Park Mobile app
UCLA WRAPS HOME STAND AGAINST NO. 24 GRAND CANYON
The #4-ranked UCLA men’s soccer team will play the final game of a four-game season opening on Monday night, hosting No. 24 Grand Canyon at 7 p.m. The Pac-12 Networks will broadcast the game live, with a stream available at Pac-12.com/live. Fans can also follow a live audio broadcast (Nick Koop on the call), live stats and updates via the team Twitter account, @UCLAMSoccer.
IN THE POLLS
UCLA appeared in every major national poll last week, checking in to number 4 (United Soccer Coaches) and also appearing at number 14 (TopDrawerSoccer) and number 15 (College Soccer News). The polls are updated every Tuesday. Some notes on Bruins’ number 4 rankings:
- This is the highest UCLA since #1 on September 1, 2015 (week one of that season)
- It marks the first time both the UCLA men’s and women’s (No. 3) have both been in the top five since the 2015 preseason poll
- Four Pac-12 schools are in the top 10 for the second time in history (September 1, 2015) (No. 3 Stanford, No. 8 Washington, No. 10 Oregon State)
- It is the first time since August 28, 2018 that four Pac schools are in the top 25
THE WEEK AT A GLANCE
UCLA has played a few home games over the past week, beating Virginia Tech 1-0 on August 28 before breaking out offensively in a 5-2 win against Liberty on September 2. The Bruins held onto the Hokies without a shot on target, and Jose Contel made for an 81st minute winner – finishing a Tommy Silva cross from the left wing on the penalty spot – to seal the result. Riley Ferch (2G, 1A) and Constantinos Michaelides (1G, 1A) led the Bruins to a season high in goals against the Flames. The Bruins were never behind in the game, but it was a back-and-forth game until Ferch’s brace-clinching goal made it 3-2 just before halftime. That was the first of three unanswered goals to end the game for the Bruins, who limited Liberty to just three shots in the second half.
GOOD START
UCLA is 3-0-0 to start a season for the first time since 2002, and only the second time this millennium. It’s the second straight year that the Bruins have jumped out of the gate, whose 6-2-0 start last fall was the program’s best eight-game start since 2009.
FIVE ON FRIDAY
The Bruins’ five goals against Liberty on Friday were among the most prolific in recent memory:
- It was the highest total in a single game since October 6, 2019 in the schedule, equivalent to the most goals scored in a single game among fourth-year HC Ryan Jorden
- Riley Ferch’s five points were the most matched by a Bruin since Milan Iloski scored five goals in those October 6, 2019 games against the Aztecs
- UCLA had eight unique players to score a point against the Flames, the most in a single game since October 26, 2017
NO GOALS FOR YOU
Last week, UCLA recorded back-to-back shutouts…
- For the first time ever under fourth-year head coach Ryan Jorden
- For the first time since October 4-7, 2018 (vs. Washington and Oregon State, respectively)
- UCLA was one of only 36 teams in the country without goals in the first week of the season (only 10 of which played multiple games)
ALSO NO SHOTS FOR YOU
Not only did the Bruins not allow a goal last week, they didn’t even allow a shot on target:
- First time zero shots on target to be allowed in a match since October 7, 2018 vs. Oregon State
- First time 0 SOG has been allowed in consecutive games since at least 1999 (the years when single-game box scores are available)
- UCLA allowed 0 SOG twice in a three-game period in 2011
- UCLA was the only school in the country with 0 SOG against in the first week of the season
- Including exhibition games, UCLA has allowed a total of only 6 SOGs in five games
LOTS OF CONTINUOUS .TYPE
UCLA is returning the bulk of its offensive production from a season ago, including:
- 31 of 33 goals (94%)
- 36 of 42 assists (86%)
- 98 out of 108 points (91%)
- 10 of 11 winning goals (91%)
- Seven out of 10 outfield starters
- The top six, and nine of the top 10, scorers from a year ago (by points)
BROWN ON THE TOP DRAWER TEAM OF THE WEEK
UCLA was well represented in TopDrawerSoccer’s Team of the Week, as a left-back Tommy Silva made the top XI while at center back Aaron Edwards and forward Jose Contel were honorable mentions. UCLA’s three honorees were the most in the country (no other school had more than one).
GRASSI NAMED TO HERMANN TROPHY WATCH LIST
UCLA sophomore Pietro Grassic was one of 38 players placed on the Hermann Trophy Watch List before the season. The center back was the only underclassman on the list and is one of only two honorary members of the Pac-12 conference. UCLA has had two Hermann Trophy winners of all time in Leo Stolz (2014) and Sasha Victorine (1993). The last Bruin to make the Hermann Watch List was defender Erik Holt in 2018.
UCLA TAKES HOME NCAA PHOTO OF THE WEEK
In addition to the success on the field, UCLA also took a social media win last week, such as Ross Turteltaub’s shot from Jose Contel making a backflip after scoring his winning goal against Virginia Tech was voted the NCAA Photo of the Week on Instagram. To view the photo, visit @UCLAMSoccer on Instagram.
BROWN AGAINST THE WAC
While UCLA takes on Grand Canyon for the first time in the program’s history, the Bruins have a lot of history with the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), holding a 42-7-2 all-time record against current members of the league. However, UCLA has faced only two WAC teams since 2000: UNLV (latest: 2017) and Seattle (latest: 2015).
SILVA DIEN
Tommy Silva has piled up the A’s so far this season and got an assist on both of UCLA’s winning goals last week. He was the only player in the Pac-12 Conference to have multiple helpers in the first week of the season. Silva also provided the first assist on both UCLA scores in a 2-0 practice win over Westmont earlier this summer. Tucson native Ariz has nine assists in his career in 34 games, including a co-team high four apples during the spring of 2021.
KEEP SHUT
The Bruins have shown a penchant for close games in recent times. Dating back to last season, UCLA has decided 16 of the last 21 games (and 12 of the last 15) by one goal or less. UCLA’s three-goal margin at Liberty on September 2, 2022 was the largest since San Diego State’s 4-1 victory on November 12, 2021.
COOKING AT HOME
The Bruins have been hard to beat at home lately, 14-3 in the last 17 games at the Wallis Annenberg Stadium (17-3-1 exhibition games included). UCLA was 9-3 (0.750) at home last fall, the first time the program has posted a home win rate north of 60% since the 2015 season (also 9-3).
DIFFICULT ROAD
UCLA has routinely played one of the toughest schedules in the country under head coach Ryan Jorden, finishing in the top-20 nationwide in strength-of-schedule each of the last three seasons. The Bruins were number 14 in the country last fall in SOS (.610), number 20 in the spring of 2021 (.588, and they were top-10 at the end of the regular season), and number 12 in 2019 (. 609).
PLAYERS TO WATCH
UCLA had three players named to the United Soccer Coaches Players to Watch lists ahead of the 2022 season:
- Tucker Lepley (M) – Led the team in scoring last year, earning second team awards for the entire region and first team for freshmen
- Pietro Grassic (D) – Was a true first-team freshman for all regions after playing a team-high 1,708 minutes in 2021
- Nicolas Blassou (D) – In each of the last two seasons, American led in minutes played and earned All-Patriot League honors
- UCLA was the only school in the country to have multiple defenders selected on the Players to Watch list
BROWN IN THE TDS TOP 100 PLAYER RANKING
UCLA had named three players to TopDrawerSoccer’s ranking of the top 100 players to watch in the country: Tommy Silva (no. 48), Tucker Lepley (no. 68), and Nicolas Blassou (no. 96). The Bruins’ three thrushes were the most in the Pac-12, ranking second in the country (Pitt: 5).
UCLA TAKES THIRD IN PAC-12 PRESEASON COACHES POLL
UCLA was tagged to finish third in the annual preseason poll for coaches. The Bruins gathered a few votes for first place, equaling the most from any team in the conference. UCLA took 18 points in the poll, just behind co-favorites OSU and Washington.
- Oregon State (2) – 21 points
- Washington (1) – 21 points
- UCLA (2) – 18 points
- Stanford – 14 points
- State of San Diego – 10 points
- California – 6 points
PREPARATION SUMMARY
UCLA went undefeated 1-0-1 in the preseason this summer, beating NAIA member Westmont 2-0 on August 15 before battling a goalless draw against UNLV on August 20. Junior striker Andre Ochoa and senior winger Constantinos Michaelides both found the back of the net in the first half against the Warriors, with junior left back Tommy Silva providing the primary assist on both counts. A combined 43 players saw the field in that match. Red shirt senior mid Jose Sosa and red shirt senior forward Kevin Diaz both had Grade-A scoring opportunities against UNLV, as the Bruins defeated the visitors 17-1 before the game (including 17 uncontested shots to end the game).
2021 IN OVERVIEW
UCLA went 11-7-1, bagging a major NCAA Tournament berth and eventually reaching the second round of the tournament
UCLA’s 11 wins, +8 goal difference, third-place league finish, second-round NCAA finish were all the best since 2015
The Bruins went 6-2-0 to start the year, their best eight-game start since 2009
UCLA led the Pac-12 in assists per game (2.2), fewest errors per game (9.3) and shot accuracy (48%)
The Bruins finished the year at number 24 (TopDrawerSoccer) and number 25 (United Soccer Coaches) in the latest polls
Signature wins include a 3-2 win over then-No. 1 Oregon State on Nov. 7, and a gold goal victory over UCSB in the first round of the NCAA tournament
UCLA had three separate three-game winning streaks, setting an overall record of 9-3-0 . at home
The Bruins had four region picks, their most since 2015, highlighted by first team player Pietro Grassic
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