Washington Downs UCLA 1-0 in Key Pac-12 Battle

Sunday, October 29

Los Angeles, Calif.

5:00 PM

University of Washington

12-5-1, 5-3-1Pac-12

UCLA

7-7-1, 4-3-0Pac-12

Washington

UCLA

October 29, 2017 | Men's Soccer

Box Score

LOS ANGELES -- Jaret Townsend recorded his first career goal and the Washington defense made it hold up as the Huskies picked up a crucial 1-0 victory at UCLA on Sunday night at Drake Stadium.

The victory gives No. 23 Washington the edge for second place in the Pac-12 conference play with a 5-3-1 record while the Bruins fall to 4-3-0. The Huskies record their third-straight win and improve to 12-5-1 overall in their penultimate match of the regular season.

The match was another great contest between the two teams which battled in a 1-0 match on Montlake earlier this season with UCLA pulling out the win in overtime. Washington held a 14-10 edge in shots, but got the only goal of the contest.

In the 65th minute, Handwalla Bwana received the pass, moving around one defender and drawing three other UCLA defenders to him. He then found Townsend with a quick pass and the sophomore fired a quick shot to the near post for his first career goal.

Neither team had a great scoring chance in the first half with UCLA holding a slight 5-4 edge in shots. But Washington turned up the pressure in the second half and nearly added multiple goals.

Just after the goal, Washington had another quality chance as Joey Parish took the ball down the near side and crossed it into the box from the end line. Scott Menzies was right in the middle of the box and had an open goal he was looking at

Coffee got a pair of great chances in the 71st minute, first getting behind the UCLA defense, but hitting his shot wide of the net. He then had a chance seconds later, getting a nice pass from Menzies at the top of the box but sailing it high.

UCLA's best chance came in the 85th minute as Christian Chavez got a great pass, beat the keeper with a shot only to see Quentin Pearson slide across the line and clear it out.

The match was a chippy one as can be expected when these two rivals hit the pitch. The teams combined for more fouls (26) than shots (25). There were also six cards issued in the match with Washington receiving three yellows and UCLA seeing two yellows and a red card which came after the conclusion of the match.

This victory marks the first time since San Diego State joined the Pac-12 in 2005 that Washington earned six points on its SDSU/UCLA road trip. Previously, the best the Huskies had done on the road trip was four points in 2012 when they tied SDSU 1-1 and beat UCLA 2-0.

It was also Washington's second-straight 1-0 victory. The Huskies had been 0-5-1 when scoring less than two goals in a match prior to the start of the road trip.

Washington has a week off before closing out the regular season at Oregon State on Thursday, Nov. 9 at 2:00 p.m.