UCLA
California
Bruins Fall In Overtime To Cal, 1-0
October 24, 2010 | Men's Soccer
Oct. 24, 2010
Los Angeles, Calif. - Despite outshooting its opponent by a 25-13 margin, the 11th-ranked UCLA men's soccer team lost for the first time at home this season, 1-0 in overtime to 12th-ranked California on Sunday afternoon.
Cal senior forward Davis Paul scored the only goal of the game in the 99th minute, his team-leading sixth of the season. The goal allowed the Golden Bears to take sole possession of first place in the Pac-10 Conference with a 5-1-1 record. The Bruins are one point behind in the standings with a 5-2-0 mark.
The Bruins had multiple chances to score in the contest, totaling 25 shots to Cal's 13. Cal goalkeeper David Bingham made saves on eight Bruin shots, including 3 each on UCLA's top two scorers, Kelyn Rowe and Victor Chavez. UCLA was also stopped on a few occasions by the goalposts. In the 71st minute, Rowe had a shot that was tipped up by Bingham off the crossbar. The ball bounced tantalizingly close to going in before landing on top of the net. In the 78th minute, Chavez had a shot from the right side hit the right post. Cal was also victimized by the crossbar earlier in the game. In the 24th minute. Paul's shot hit the crossbar and ricocheted out directly to John Fitzpatrick, who one-timed a bicycle kick on target. UCLA goalkeeper Brian Rowe made an outstanding save, however, to prevent the score. The Bruin goalkeeper finished with four saves and played well in goal, making a big stop on a point blank shot in the box by Paul in the 23rd minute and snaring a dangerous cross in the box in the 64th minute.
UCLA knocked on the door early in the overtime, with Evan Raynr taking a close-range shot at 92:07, but Bingham was there once again to make the save. The Golden Bears broke through to finish the game at 98:36 when Paul received a pass from the right sideline and dribbled up the field before hitting a left-footed shot to the upper left corner for the game-winner.
"We created more chances and more opportunities, and we had a lot of good moments, but we just couldn't score the goal we needed," said UCLA head coach Jorge Salcedo. "We hit the post a couple of times, and their goalkeeper had a good game. It just wasn't our day."
UCLA's record drops to 10-4-1, 5-2-0 in the Pac-10. Cal improves to 9-2-3, 5-1-1. The Bruins have a break in their conference schedule next week and will play a mid-week non-conference game on Wednesday, Oct. 27 at Cal State Northridge at 7 pm.
