This post was updated Oct. 10 at 7:59 p.m.
The Bruins put up four goals for the fourth time this season.
A three-goal second half led UCLA men’s soccer (5-2-3, 2-0-2 Pac-12) to defeat Washington (5-4-3, 2-2-1) by a 4-2 score in Seattle on Sunday, landing it in second place in Pac-12 standings.
Redshirt junior forward Jose Contell found the back of the net early, sending a free ball in the box into the goal after a corner kick. Contell’s first goal of the season put UCLA up for the entirety of the first half, opposite to Thursday’s start at Oregon State, where the hosts scored 37 seconds into the contest.
Coach Ryan Jorden said the first goal was important so the team could dictate the trajectory of the game.
“When the game is level or when we’re ahead, it’s a different game because we get to control tempo,” Jorden said. “I was really pleased with how we did that today and obviously put ourselves in a situation where we get to dictate things in a different manner than we did Thursday night.”
With the Huskies tying the game up 14 minutes into the second half, the Bruins brought on two sophomore substitutes that would contribute to clinching the game.
Slotted in front of the goal on a pass from midfielder Sebastian Rincon, midfielder Cam Wilkerson notched the go-ahead goal for the Bruins.
After limited minutes in their freshman years – with only 37 total for Rincon – both have played the super-substitute role this season, where Wilkerson has contributed to create three goals.
To cap off the Bruins’ goal-scoring, Rincon put in his first goal as a Bruin. Jorden said he was happy for the sophomore.
“We know we’ve got a really good team that’s deep, and it’s hard to get into the first 11,” Jorden said. “We also know that when we go to guys, we know that they can have a really good impact and Sebastian has been determined, and he’s worked really, really hard.”
Sophomore midfielder Tarun Karumanchi added that it’s pivotal to have players that can come off the bench and make an impact.
“Many people feel like a soccer team is just built around 11 guys, but having guys fresh off the bench ready to come in and make an impact can really change the game and we saw that today,” Karumanchi said. “The best teams in the country are ones with depth, and I think that we have that.”
The game-winning goal came from graduate student midfielder Sean Karani, who also started the game on the bench, when he chipped the goalkeeper on a counterattack ball from Wilkerson.
The Bruins allowed more goals Sunday compared to their other four-goal outings this season, with the Huskies scoring two – including one in the final 50 seconds of play. Freshman goalkeeper Wyatt Nelson, in his third start of the year, made a penalty save.
Rincon said the save was a key moment in the game.
“Oh my god. That was a crucial moment for us. If that goal goes in, it can be a whole different game,” Rincon said. “That obviously helped us a lot, but yeah, it was a huge save from him and we’re just so happy that he was able to do that.”
Now inching toward the top of Pac-12 – with a game in hand over first place Oregon State – Jorden said he feels good about the team’s position through four of their 10 conference games.
“We control our own destiny again,” Jorden said. “Our job is to make sure that we just continue to do the little things to continue to focus on how we have better performances every time out and keep striving for a really, really high standard that grows every game.”
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