Anteaters shock Bruins, 1-0

WESTWOOD - The seventh-ranked UCLA men’s soccer team dropped a 1-0

nonconference decision to visiting UC Irvine in a make-up game at UCLA’s

Frank W. Marshall Field Monday.

In the ninth minute, UC Irvine senior Saul Wolf took a free kick that

rebounded off UCLA defenders and fired it into the back of the net for

the 1-0 lead. It would prove to be all the Anteaters would need.

Bruin goalkeeper Zach Wells, a product of Newport Harbor High, made

seven saves in the contest. Anteater goalkeeper C.J. Cooper was credited

with no saves as UCLA was unable to get off a single shot on goal.

Actually, the Bruins took nine shots, but nothing came close to causing

Cooper any concern.

UCLA dropps to 2-2-1 open the season. The Anteaters, with their first

victory over UCLA since 1994, improve to 3-0-1.

The game was originally scheduled to be played on Sunday, but was

moved to the next day because of the terrorists attacks on the East

Coast.

“Unfortunately, with all the time between our last game (UCLA last

played on Sept. 9), we lost the winning momentum that was with us in San

Francisco,” said UCLA Coach Todd Saldana. “We started slowly today and

paid the price with a fairly early goal.

“UCI battled hard and defended well to keep us from equalizing the

score. Hopefully, this game can be an early-season lesson in how we must

approach all of our matches in the future.

The Anteaters return to action Friday when they’ll duel Loyola at the

Loyola Marymount Tournament, starting at 3 p.m.