UCLA Women’s Soccer Hosts Texas A&M in Friday Exhibition

The defending NCAA champion and preseason No. 1 UCLA women’s soccer team kicks off the 2014 season with a Friday exhibition contest against No. 9 Texas A&M. The match will take place at the North Athletic Field at 5 pm. Admission is free.

Parking is available for $12 at Lot 8, off Westwood Blvd. Parking lots 4 and 7 are closed. Click here for information on on-campus parking.

Fans unable to attend Friday’s game can listen live online at uclabruins.com. John Ramey returns for his fifth season on the mic. Live updates will be provided on the UCLA Women’s Soccer Twitter - @uclawsoccer - and live stats will be at uclabruins.com.

The exhibition contest will have a different format, as the teams will play three 30-minute periods.

The Bruins return 10 starters from their national championship team, including four players who have been named to the MAC Hermann Watch List – 2013 finalist Abby Dahlkemper, U.S. Women’s National Team member Sarah Killion, U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team starting goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland, and 2013 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Darian Jenkins. Also returning are U.S. Women’s National Team member Sam Mewis, U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team members Caprice Dydasco and Taylor Smith, College Cup Defensive MVP Ally Courtnall, and the two players who teamed up for the championship-winning goal – Megan Oyster and Kodi Lavrusky.

Head coach Amanda Cromwell, the 2013 Soccer America Coach of the Year, brings in the nation’s No. 4 recruiting class, led by U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team captain Gabrielle Matulich. Goalkeepers Siri Ervik and Arielle Schechtman will battle returner Cassie Sternbach for playing time while Rowland is in Canada for the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup. Rowland and the U.S. team play Canada in the quarterfinals on Aug. 16.

Texas A&M also returns 10 starters from their 2013 squad, including All-Americans Meghan Streight and Shea Groom. The Aggies have seven players on their roster from Southern California.

UCLA’s season opener is Friday, Aug. 22 vs. Maryland at 7 pm in a match that will be televised live on Pac-12 Networks.