UCLA Hosts Washington in Pac-12 Battle

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UCLA (1-3-1, 0-2-1) vs. No. 7 Washington (5-1-0, 2-1-0)
Date/Time: Sunday, Mar. 14 - 4:00 p.m. (PT)
Location: Los Angeles, Calif. (Wallis Annenberg Stadium)
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Bruins Return to Wallis Annenberg Stadium, Host No. 7 Washington
After playing its last two games on the road against Pac-12 rivals, the UCLA men's soccer team returns to its home field this weekend to host No. 7 Washington. The contest is slated for a 4:00 p.m. start on Sunday, Mar. 14. While the game will not be televised, fans can follow along with a radio broadcast and live stats on UCLABruins.com, and can access live updates from the team Twitter account, @UCLAMSoccer. 

Happy to Be Home
When the game kicks off Sunday, it will end a period of 22 days without a home game for the Bruins. 

Rank and File
This Sunday marks UCLA's third straight game against a team ranked inside the top-15, and the fourth overall in six games. 

Tough Road
UCLA has played one of the toughest schedules in the country so far in 2020-21, as the Bruins' five past opponents have combined for a 15-3-0 record (.833), the third-highest opponents' winning percentage in the country. UCLA's past and future opponents have a .705 winning percentage so far in 2020-21, the second-highest mark in the NCAA. 

Newcomers Making Contributions
Three of UCLA's five goals (60%), four of six assists (67%), and 10 of 16 points (63%) have been scored by players who were not regulars on last year's squad. The Bruins are led in scoring by true freshman Grayson Doody (1-1-3), who notched his first career goal in highlight-reel fashion at Oregon State on Feb. 27. 

The Series Against Washington
The Bruins own a 30-18-4 all-time record against the Huskies, but have dropped the last three matchups. UCLA is 2-3-0 over its last five home games against Washington. 

Bruins at Wallis Annenberg Stadium
UCLA is 10-9-3 in regular season contests at Wallis Annenberg Stadium since moving to that venue ahead of the 2018 season. The Bruins have taken points from both their contests there this year, topping San Francisco 3-0 in the season-opener on Feb. 8, and drawing 1-1 with San Diego State on Feb. 20 in the Pac-12 opener for both teams. 

Garces Impresses Between The Sticks
Junior goalkeeper Justin Garces is off to a hot start to the 2020-21 season, as he leads the Pac-12 Conference in both total saves (20) and saves per game (4.0) while ranking third in save percentage (.714). The Miami, Fla. native recorded his 100th career save against San Diego State on Feb. 20, while his season-opening shutout of San Francisco was the seventh clean sheet of his career. He has also stopped the only PK attempt against him this year. 

Plenty Of Firsts
This season has brought plenty of notable firsts for UCLA:

• First career goals: Ben Reveno (Sr.), Pablo Greenlee (Fr.), Ollie de Visser (So.), Grayson Doody (Fr.)
• First collegiate points: Greenlee, Grayson Doody (Fr.), Tommy Silva (Fr.), de Visser
• First points at UCLA: Kevin Diaz (Cerritos College transfer), Jose Sosa (Pacific transfer)
• First Division I starts: Diaz, Doody, Silva, de Visser
• First Division I appearances: Andrew Valverde (Fr.)

The Week in Review
UCLA is coming off a 4-0 loss on the road at No. 3 Stanford last Saturday. The Bruins battled the Cardinal to a scoreless draw for most of the first half before the hosts opened the scoring on a 40th minute goal by Keegan Tingey. Stanford would add three scores in a 15-minute span in the second half. Garces was tested often in the contest, making a season-high six saves for the Bruins. 

Matt Taylor Joins Real Salt Lake Coaching staff
UCLA's Matt Taylor was officially named an assistant coach on the Real Salt Lake coaching staff on Mar. 11. Taylor had spent the past three seasons on the UCLA coaching staff. He scored 33 goals in in 87 games as a student-athlete at UCLA - winning Pac-10 Player of the Year honors in 2003 - before playing professionally from 2004-17.