SAN DIEGO - San Diego State women's soccer fell on Thursday night to No. 1 UCLA 2-0, at Wallis Annenberg Stadium. The Bruins scored in the 41st minute and in the 53rd minute in the win.
Early in the match, UCLA (7-0-0) and San Diego State (2-2-4) felt each other out, with neither team able to find the back of the net. Both Denise Castro and Emma Gaines-Ramos had shots in the first half. Gaines-Ramos tested the keeper from distance in the 19th minute, but her shot was saved by the UCLA keeper. The Bruins did not trouble Alexa Madueno in goal until later in the half when she made two stops in the 25th and 26th minutes to keep the game level. However, it was late in the first half when UCLA grabbed the opening goal in the 41st minute. Sunshine Fontes found Ellie Wallburch who found her way in on goal and shot a left-footed shot into the top left corner of the goal to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead heading into the halftime break.
To begin the second half the Bruins were on the front foot and in the 53rd minute UCLA doubled their advantage. After a ball fell loose in the box off of a corner, Lexi Wright found Sophia Cook open in the middle of the box who fired her shot past Madueno in the Aztecs goal to give UCLA a 2-0 lead. Neither team would trouble the opposing keeper in the final half hour until Rachelle Elve forced a save in the final few seconds for the Aztecs, as the match ended with the Bruins coming away with the 2-0 win.
In goal for the Aztecs Madueno made eight stops on the night, the second most saves she has made this season. Offensively Castro, Gaines-Ramos and Elve all tallied a shot for San Diego State.
Up Next: The Aztecs return home to the SDSU Sports Deck to open conference play against Colorado State on Thursday at 7 p.m. PT.
The Stat: Alexa Madueno made eight saves in the Aztecs goal, her second most stops this season.
-SDSU-
Aztecs Fall at No. 1 UCLA 2-0
