Long Beach State Falls On The Road To No. 4 UCLA

Thursday, September 7

Los Angeles, Calif.

7 p.m.

Long Beach State University

4-3-0, 0-0-0

UCLA

4-1-0, 0-0-0

Long Beach St.

UCLA

Photo by: Diego Devia @Devia.Img

9/7/2023 9:24:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

UCLA beats the Beach 4-0 in their first game back after falling out of the consensus No. 1 position in the polls.

By: Roger Kirk, Associate Athletics Director, Communications & Broadcast

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Long Beach State had the early edge on the road against No. 4 UCLA, but the Bruins converted their first chances to change the complexion of the game and pulled away in the second half in a 4-0 win.

                In her first start of the year for Long Beach State (4-3-0), Bella Ternero had a pair of early shots as the Beach was on the front foot quickly. Earning a corner in the opening minutes, Ternero had a shot that went high, and minutes later Ternero forced Neeku Purcell into her first save as Long Beach State had the only shots over the first 10 minutes at No. 4 UCLA (4-1-0)

                UCLA turned things around as Lexi Wright clanged a shot off the post in the 15th minute, and then the first Bruins goal came in the 17th as an endline pass got through the LBSU defense to find Sunshine Fontes who just beat Zora Standifer for a 1-0 lead.

                Long Beach State looking to pull back the edge had a solid opportunity from Alia Sinoff in the 33rd, as a free kick clearance landed at the feet of the junior defender but the shot ended up just off target.

Michaela Rosenbaum was able to double the Bruin lead just before the half, as an endline cross with eyes found the far post where the Bruin was able to score and make the lead 2-0 going into halftime, despite just a 3-1 lead in shots on target over the first 45 minutes.

                UCLA continued to push, and grabbed a third goal in the 58th minute. Finding the feet of Fontes, Brooklyn Antonucci nearly made a perfect tackle, but a converging Standifer made just enough contact to draw the penalty, which Fontes went on to convert to extend the Bruin lead to 3-0.

                Amanda Perez, coming on as a substitute, had the best opportunity of the second half for Long Beach State with a clean header in the box. Fontes finished off her hat trick with a spectacular shot outside the box in the 80th minute.

                After two games away from Long Beach, Long Beach State is back in action at George Allen Field on Sunday, September 10 as the team looks to extend their home unbeaten streak, hosting Utah Valley at 1 p.m.