Another Overtime Match, Another Draw for UCLA Women's Soccer

The Bruins have developed a knack for playing some extra soccer.

No. 3 UCLA women's soccer (10-0-2, 2-0-2 Pac-12) and Utah (5-5-3, 0-2-2) went the distance Thursday, playing two overtimes before ending the night in a 1-1 draw. It was the Bruins' second game in a row that went past regulation, and third out of their last four that went into overtime.

Thursday also marked the third consecutive match in which UCLA allowed a goal after posting eight straight shutouts.

That doesn't mean the defense and goalkeeping have fallen off, however.

While senior goalkeeper Lauren Brzykcy did allow her fifth goal in three starts in the 41st minute, she saved three shots in the second half to preserve the tie and help force overtime. Brzykcy did not have much work to do in either of the overtime periods, as the Utes didn't send a single shot on goal in that time.

The defense shut down any chances Utah had late, allowing their offense to control the tempo and the match overall.

UCLA had six shots to Utah's three in the first half, going up 1-0 in the 39th minute when freshman defender Quincy McMahon sent a free kick deep into the box and redshirt senior forward Kennedy Faulknor cleaned it up for the goal.

A look at @KennedyJade_'s first goal of the season, which gave UCLA a 1-0 lead.

📺: @Pac12Network
📲: https://t.co/hhTYzI3efe
#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/7RxiNG3Ytb
— UCLA Women's Soccer (@UCLAWSoccer) October 8, 2021

Even though the Utes answered with an equalizer two minutes later, the Bruins didn't let up.

UCLA finished the night with 21 shots compared to the eight attempted by Utah. UCLA also took nine corner kicks, while their opponent did not get a single one. The Bruins dominated in scoring chances and possession essentially from start to finish.

The efficiency of those chances was far from enough to retake the lead though, especially adding in the performance of Utah goalkeeper Chelsea Peterson. For one, only eight of the Bruins' shots ended up on target, with their 38.1% shot accuracy falling far behind the Utes' 62.5% mark, and they hit the post far more often than they found the back of the net by the time the night was over.

Peterson also racked up seven saves, including three on potential golden goal game-winners across the two overtimes.

One of those attempts was a penalty kick by graduate midfielder Marley Canales in the waning moments of the first overtime after sophomore forward Reilyn Turner drew a foul in the box. Peterson turned it away, and when McMahon came in for the rebound, she drove it straight off the right post.

Redshirt sophomore forward Sunshine Fontes had the final chance of the match, sending one straight towards the Utah net in the 109th minute, only for Peterson to save that one too.

The two recent draws may have stalled the Bruins' pursuit of a perfect season, but they still remain unbeaten in their last 19 regular season matches dating back to March 26 of last season. You would have to go all the way back to Oct. 19, 2019, to find the last time they lost in regulation, not including postseason play.

UCLA will host Colorado at home Sunday at 12 p.m., their last home match before back-to-back weekends on the road. Pac-12 play is already winding down, and the Bruins have less than a month to set themselves apart.

Follow Connon on Twitter at @SamConnon
Follow All Bruins on Twitter at @SI_AllBruins
Like All Bruins on Facebook at @SI.AllBruins
Subscribe to All Bruins on YouTube

Read more UCLA stories: UCLA Bruins on Sports Illustrated
Read more UCLA Olympic sports stories: UCLA Olympic Sports on Sports Illustrated