UCLA
10-8-0, 5-5-0
San Diego State
7-10-1, 2-8-0
UCLA Falls 1-0 on Senior Day
November 08, 2018 | Men's Soccer
LOS ANGELES – The UCLA men's soccer team closed the 2018 regular season with a 1-0 loss to San Diego State on Thursday night at Wallis Annenberg Stadium, once again dominating their opponent in the shots department but finding themselves unable to find the back of the net.
UCLA fell to 10-8, 5-5 with the loss. Similar to last Sunday's game against Stanford, the Bruins had a multitude of chances to find the back of the net but couldn't cash in.
Two chances on either side of halftime stung especially hard.
In the 37th minute, a set piece resulted in the ball coming to senior defender Erik Holt banging home a shot inside the 18 for what appeared to be his first goal of the year, but a late offside whistle nullified the play.
Before the halftime whistle, a Joab Santoyo volley contacted an Aztec defender in the arm while he was in the box, but no penalty was given.
Minutes after Holt's near-goal, SDSU (7-10-1, 2-8-0) took advantage of a deflection in the UCLA defensive third that got a quick attack going the other way. Driving towards net at the edge of the box, SDSU's Damian German was taken down and awarded a penalty. German stepped up and converted the PK for what turned out to be the lone goal of the contest.
UCLA was granted a man advantage after SDSU's Miles Stray received two yellow cards in a span of 3:16 within the first five minutes of the second half.
Working a man up, the Bruins got several good looks at net, the two best of which came on dead ball plays. First, Milan Iloski took a solid free kick from about 22 yards out in the 82nd minute, but his goal-bound shot was pushed over the bar by SDSU keeper Cameron Hogg. UCLA was then awarded a PK of its own in the 84th minute, but the resulting shot missed the frame.
UCLA had chances in the run of play as well, most notably a 78th minute long-range drive from senior midfielder Anderson Asiedu that required a highlight-reel save from Hogg, and a 52nd minute ball from Iloski that played sophomore forward Santiago Herrera into a 1-v-1 with the keeper, but Hogg had enough time to come out and force Herrera into a tight angle that resulted in a shot wide of the far post.
"We didn't get off to the best start, but it's a really disappointing result because once against we had numerous opportunities to score and we didn't," said UCLA head coach Jorge Salcedo. "We tried to find our first goal which I think would have led to a second and third goal, but we didn't get the first one."
UCLA ended the contest with a 17-6 overall advantage in shots. The Bruins outshot the Aztecs 13-0 with the man advantage in the second half.
Hogg was required to make seven saves for SDSU.
Before the contest, UCLA's graduating senior class was honored. The Bruins' departing group seniors included Holt, Asiedu, Santoyo, midfielders Kike Poleo and Tobi Henneke, and goalkeeper Cole Martinez.
UCLA learns its postseason fate on Monday morning with the NCAA Selection Show, scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. on NCAA.com.
Team Stats
German, Damian (5)
SDSU German, Damian PENALTY KICK GOAL, goal number 5 for season.
39:58
