The No. 2 UCLA women’s soccer team saw its season come to a sudden end on Friday night after being upset in the NCAA Tournament by the visiting University of San Diego Toreros 3-2 in penalty kicks.
The Bruins and Toreros ended regulation play with a 1-1 draw and remained tied after two overtime periods, sending the match to penalty kicks. UCLA goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland and San Diego’s Courtney Parsons both saved the first two penalty kicks and after the first five shots, the teams were tied at 2-2. Parsons saved the penalty kick by UCLA’s Chelsea Stewart, giving San Diego the opportunity to win the match. Elissa Magracia buried her shot, advancing the Toreros to the round of 16, and snapping the Bruins’ 30-game winning streak at Drake Stadium.
"The bottom line is that you have to put the ball in the back of the net and not put it into a situation where it goes to penalty kicks where anything can happen," said UCLA head coach B.J. Snow.
San Diego struck early, taking a 1-0 lead just 1:46 into the game on a goal by Stephanie Ochs. The Bruins finally knotted the score in the 80th minute after Abby Dahlkemper crossed a ball into Jenna Richmond who put it in the net.
Although the Bruins outshot San Diego 17 to 6, UCLA (16-1-4) was unable to take a lead in the game.
UCLA’s Sydney Leroux led all players with five shots, followed by Zakiya Bywaters and Ally Courtnall with three shots each.
Parsonscame up with six saves for the Toreros, while Rowland saved one for the Bruins.
With the end of UCLA’s tournament run comes the end of a brilliant college career for Leroux.
“It’s been amazing. I chose this school because I wanted to be part of history,” Leroux said. “Maybe I didn’t get an NCAA championship, but what they gave me was so much more.”
Leroux finishes at UCLA ranked in the Bruins’ top five all-time in four offensive categories: tied for third in multiple-goal games (15), fourth in points (126), goals (57) and game-winning goals (23).
“I am so grateful for who I had here,” Leroux said. “I got to wake up every day and be with girls I wanted to be with. Not everyone is this lucky.”
Leroux attended U.S. Women’s National Team training camp this month and was unsure if she would be participating in tonight’s match against Sweden. She will return to U.S. training camp in December and plans to play soccer professionally.
“I haven’t had a chance yet to really think about where I’ll go from here, but I’ll definitely enter the (WPS) draft and see who wants me,” Leroux said.
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