No. 10 UCLA (1-0-1) vs. No. 8 PORTLAND (1-0-0 )
Friday, Aug. 30, 2024 – 7 p.m. PT
Los Angeles, Calif. (Wallis Annenberg Stadium)
Media Information
Broadcast: B1G+
Talent: Jonah Malkin
Live Stats: uclalivestats.com
Ticket Information
Tickets: uclabruins.com/tickets
Price: $9-17 (UCLA students free with BruinCard)
Seating: General Admission
Parking: purchase in advance on Park Mobile app
UCLA Continues Homestand Against No. 8 University of Portland
The UCLA men's soccer team returns to Wallis Annenberg Stadium for their third game of the season on Friday for a top-10matchup, welcoming No. 8 University of Portland. The Pilots head to Westwood having beaten Washington 2-1 to open their season.
Bruins Draw With No. 18 JMU
UCLA kept a second consecutive clean sheet against a top-25 opponent on Sunday night, tying 0-0 with No. 18 James Madison University at Wallis Annenberg Stadium. Statistically, for UCLA Edrey Caceres, Sveinn Hauksson, and Andre Ochoa all tallied two shots, while sophom*ore goalkeeper Wyatt Nelson produced three saves. To begin the year the Bruins have now played 180 minutes without conceding a goal to begin the season. Nelson also produced the fourth clean sheet of his career in his first start for UCLA in 2024.
Opening Night Win OVer No. 11 LMU
UCLA opened the 2024 season with a win over No. 11 LMU on Thursday night. Edrey Caceres provided both the goals for the Bruins, scoring two beautifully taken free kicks from just outside the 18 yard box. UCLA found the opening goal in the 27th minute. After a handball just outside the 18 yard box on LMU, Caceres stood over the ball to take the ensuing free kick. Caceres lined up the shot and lifted the ball over the LMU wall, past the outstretched arms of the keeper, and put the Bruins up 1-0. As for the second goal, just five seconds before the end of the first half, the Bruins had a free kick in almost the same spot where Caceres scored from the first time. It was almost a déjà vu moment as Caceres placed his second free kick of the game perfectly, directing it over the LMU wall, past the diving keeper, and into the back of the net, making it 2-0 UCLA going into halftime, and that's how the game would finish.
Caceres Cooking
Graduate transfer Edrey Caceres opened his account for the Bruins on Thursday, scoring both goals in UCLA's 2-0 win over No. 11 LMU. It marked the third time in his career that Caceres has scored a brace (two goals) in his career, and was his first brace as a Bruin. The goals were the 12th and 13th of his career.
Stout Defense
UCLA has not conceded a goal to begin the 2024 season. Over the course of two games, the Bruins have limited No. 11 LMU and No. 18 JMU to a combined four shots on goal, while keepers Sam Joseph and Wyatt Nelson have each earned a clean sheet.
Bruins in the NCAA Rankings
- Save Percentage: 1st - 1.000
- Shutout percentage: 1st
- Goals Against Average: 1st - 0.000
- Edrey Caceres, Goals - T-11th, 2
- Edrey Caceres, Points - T-28th, 4
Bruin Debuts
Eight Bruins made either their collegiate debut or UCLA debut on Thursday night. Freshman Shakir Nixon and Tamir Ratoviz, and internatioanl graduate student Sveinn Hauksson all made their NCAA debuts. Additionally, Caceres, Nico Cavallo, Oshea Foster, Nikolai Rojel, and Youri Senden all made their UCLA debuts.
Last time out against Portland
UCLA and Portland last squared off on September 10, 2022, a game that Portland won 2-0 in Portland, Oregon. The Pilots scored a goal on either side of the halftime break. Jacob Babalai was the offensive standout for the hosts, scoring the opener and providing the primary assist on Portland's second goal.
Moving on Up
UCLA appeared in a pair of national polls after the first week of the season, climbing 11 spots in the United Soccer Coaches Poll to No. 10 in the nation, and checked in at No. 11 in the Top Drawer Soccer poll. The last time the Bruins were ranked as higher in the national polls was on Aug. 30, 2022 when UCLA was ranked No. 4 in the country.
Big-Time Matchup
The last time the Bruins were involved in a game with both teams ranked inside the top-10 was back on September 4, 2015 when UCLA played No. 6 Maryland, but fell 2-1 in overtime. In their last 10 games with both teams ranked inside the top-10, UCLA is 5-2-3.
Tough Slate to Start
UCLA will host four opponents who are ranked in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll this season, with the first three matches of the 2024 season coming against ranked opposition. The Bruins welcome No. 11 LMU on opening night on Aug. 22, followed by No. 18 James Madison University on Aug. 25, and No. 8 University of Portland on Aug. 30. Other ranked opponents the Bruins will face include No. 7 Indiana on Oct. 25 and No. 9 Denver on Sept. 9. That marks four of UCLA's six non-conference opponents are ranked to begin the season.
2023 In Review
- The Bruins won the Pac-12 title for the first time since 2012
- UCLA went 9-4-5 overall on the year, and 6-0-4 in conference play
- The undefeated mark in conference play was the third time in the Pac-12 era that the Bruins had finished undefeated in conference play
- The Bruins advanced to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament for the third year in a row
- UCLA allowed one goal or fewer in 14 of their 18 games during the 2023 season
- The Bruins' 1.06 goals against average in 2023 was their third lowest average in the last 10 seasons, only the 2022 team (1.00 GAA) and 2014 (0.92 GAA) were lower
- Tucker Lepley became the first Bruin to earn All-America honors since Milan Illoski did in 2019. Lepley earned third-team All-American honors from United Soccer Coaches, Top Drawer Soccer, and College Soccer News
- Four Bruins earned All-Far-West Region honors. Lepley and Tommy Silva earned first-team honors, while Andre Ochoa and Jack Sarkos earned third-team honors
- Lepley (1st Team), Jose Contell (2nd Team), Sarkos (2nd Team), Silva (2nd Team), Ochoa (HM), Sean Karani (HM) all were named to the Pac-12 All-Conference teams
- 16 different players recorded a point for UCLA, including nine separate goal scorers
Contell, Greenlee, Ochoa Selected to Big Ten Preseason players to watch list
- Jose Contell enters his fifth season in Westwood in 2024. The redshirt senior has been a consistent contributor for the Bruins during his three years in the lineup, netting at least 12 points in all three seasons. The Valencia, Spain, native scored a career-high five goals in 2021 and has tallied six assist seasons twice, in 2021 and 2023. At the conclusion of the 2023 season, Contell was named to the All-Far West Region Second Team and was a 2023 Pac-12 Second Team selection.
- Pablo Greenlee also enters his fifth season at UCLA. The Hollywood, California native has played 40 times for the Bruins over four seasons, making 14 starts. During the 2023 season, in which the Bruins earned the Pac-12 title, Greenlee made 11 appearances, with 10 starts.
- Andre Ochoa embarks on his third season at UCLA, having transferred from San Diego State after his sophom*ore season. The senior from Anaheim, California, started all 18 of UCLA's games in 2023, and earned third-team all-Far West region honors and Pac-12 honorable mention accolades after tallying 15 points (4G, 7A) on the season. For his career in Westwood, Ochoa has seven goals and 11 assists over 39 appearances (36 starts).
UCLA Picked Third in Big Ten Preseason Coaches Poll
UCLA was tabbed to finish third in a preseason poll of the Big Ten coaches.
1. Indiana (unanimous)
2. Penn State
3. UCLA
4. Washington
5. Michigan State
6. Ohio State
7. Maryland
8. Northwestern
9. Rutgers
10. Michigan
11. Wisconsin
New Blood
The Bruins brought in 10 newcomers to augment the roster for the 2024 season:
- Lucca Adams, GK (LA Galaxy Academy) - Led the U-17 LA Galaxy team to the MLS Next National Championship
- Edrey Caceres, MF (Marquette) – All-Big East Second Team selection in 2021, 2022, 2023
- Nico Cavallo, D (Davidson) – All-Region selection in 2021, 2022, 2023
- Sveinn Hauksson, MF/F (University of Iceland) – Hauksson comes to UCLA having played for club KA Akureyri in the Icelandic Premier League
- Allan Legaspi, D (LA Galaxy Academy) - Captained the U-17 LA Galaxy team that won the MLS Next U-17 championship this past season
- Shakir Nixon, D (LAFC Academy) - Part of the US U-17 National Team pool in preparation for the 2023 U-17 World Cup. Has made multiple appearances for LAFC2 in MLS Next competition
- Tamir Ratoviz, MF (LAFC Academy) - Central midfielder for the LAFC U-17 team who has played regularly for his MLS NextPro team. Has been called into both the US U-17 National Team as well as the Israeli U-17 National Team.
- Nikolai Rojel, F (Wofford) - SoCon Player of the Year (2023), All-Southern Conference First Team (2022, 2023), SoCon Freshman of the Year (2022)
- Youri Senden, D (Drexel) - Spent three seasons at Drexel, earned All-CAA honors, three times, including defender of the year and first-team All-CAA honors as a senior in 2023.
- Artem Vovk, F (Elk Grove Sporting) - Named to the TopDrawerSoccer Best 11 at U-19 at the Elite Academy Level. Scored over 100 goals and added over 30 assists during his time at the club level.
International Flair
UCLA's current crop of players boasts eight student-athletes who were born or have lived abroad. UCLA's roster features two from Denmark (Philip Naef, Nikoai Rojel), and one from Iceland (Sveinn Hauksson), Italy (Pietro Grassi), Netherlands (Youri Senden), Spain (Jose Contell), while Lucca Adams (Brazil) and Artem Vovk (Ukraine) both were born abroad before coming to the United States as kids.
Bring on the B1G Ten
UCLA men's soccer begins its first season as a member of the Big Ten Conference on Thursday evening. The Bruins boast winning records against five current Big Ten schools. Additionally, the Bruins have never faced Michigan or Michigan State. UCLA's first conference match as a member of the conference will be on Sept. 13 at Northwestern.
