Aztecs Fall 2-0 To No. 3 UCLA

SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State women's soccer team battled the No. 3 team in the nation, the UCLA Bruins, on Sunday night on the Sports Deck and kept it a one goal game into the 72nd minute, before ultimately falling 2-0.
 
The Bruins got a 10th minute goal from Mia Fishel to take an early lead, but were held off the scoreboard for the next 60-plus minutes by the Aztecs defense.
 
Reigning Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week Alexa Madueno, who is averaging seven saves per game through the first seven contests, stopped six of the eight shots which reached her line against the Bruins. She now has 55 saves through eight games and is on pace to shatter the program's single season record which is held by Aubree Southwick who had 106 saves in 2007.
 
"Our growth has been tremendous," Aztec coach Mike Friesen said. "It is hard to see that sometimes when our record is 2-6, but where we are as a team compared to where we were on day one is phenomenal. One thing I promised all our players is that you will have adversity. I might have over delivered on that, but I told the team I intentionally put together a difficult schedule. I wasn't intending it to be this difficult because some of the teams we thought would be good, are really good, which has really made us better. One of the things I am most proud of this team is that they are together, they are excited, they are playing at a high level. We just have to do some little things to continue to get better and grow. But I'm really excited about the next steps, conference play, and I think we have put ourselves in a position to compete at a really high level."
 
The Bruins (8-0-0) produced three shots before Fishel found the back of the net and held the Aztecs without a shot in the first 45 minutes while totaling 11 attempts of their own.
 
In the 50th minute, Emma Gaines-Ramos produced the Aztecs first dangerous chance with a shot from the top of the 18 which Bruins keeper Lauren Brzycky got her mitts on to make the save. Daniela Filipovic pushed a 63rd minute attempt wide right and Jessica Sanders, from the right side, pounded a shot in the 89th minute which Brzycky stopped to preserve the shutout for UCLA.
 
San Diego State (2-6-0) begins Mountain West play next Friday at Colorado State. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. PT and the match will be streamed on the Mountain West Network.
 
-SDSU-