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Bruins, Trojans Battle to 2-2 Tie

by uclabruins.com
Mar 18, 2021
Reilyn Turner

LOS ANGELES - In another classic Crosstown Showdown, No. 3 UCLA and No. 12 USC battled to a 2-2 tie at Wallis Annenberg Stadium after the Bruins came from behind to tie on Reilyn Turner's 86th minute goal.

UCLA struck first in the 18th minute, with a penalty kick goal by Marley Canales in the 18th minute. The Bruins earned the penalty kick when Kennedy Faulknor was fouled in the box. Canales, who entered the game a perfect 5-for-5 from the penalty spot in her career, stepped up once again and delivered, beating USC goalkeeper Kaylie Collins to score her third goal of the season.

USC continued to apply pressure and nearly scored on a corner kick in the 34th minute. Kaylin Martin's shot seemed destined for goal, but UCLA freshman defender Michaela Rosenbaum was covering the right post and prevented the shot from going in. There was no stopping the Trojans in the 38th minute, however, as Croix Bethune sent a through ball to Tara McKeown, who raced ahead of the Bruin defense and slotted a shot to the near post past an off-balanced Lauren Brzykcy.

After the teams went into the half tied up at 1-1, the Bruins started the half with two shots by Faulknor and Sunshine Fontes that missed just high in the first three minutes. McKeown broke through with the go-ahead goal for the Trojans in the 68th minute, taking a Penelope Hocking pass and firing far post past Brzykcy.

UCLA attempted to equalize, but Fontes' long-range shot missed high and wide in the 77th minute, and Rosenbaum had a hard shot saved by Collins in the 81st. The Trojans looked to put the game away in the 84th minute on a counterattack, with Hocking receiving a long ball from the back and using her speed to get ahead of the defense. Hocking had a 1v1 with Brzykcy, but the Bruin goalkeeper came up off the line and snuffed the opportunity before Hocking could get a shot off.

Bryzkycy's stop was game-changing because less than two minutes later, the Bruins tied it up, thanks to a nice passing sequence from Jacey Pederson to Fontes, who hit an oncoming Kaila Novak on the outside. Novak's cross to Delanie Sheehan drew out Collins, and Sheehan crossed back to Turner in front of goal, and the freshman forward booted it into the back of the net with authority for the equalizer.

Each team had a good chance to win it in overtime. Hocking hit the crossbar in the final 22 seconds of the first overtime, and in the 104th minute, Fontes found Turner in front of the goal, but was just inches away from Turner being able to get a foot on the ball.

Bryzkcy finished the game with a career-high nine saves. Collins had four for USC.

UCLA remains unbeaten in 2021 with an 8-0-1 record, while USC goes to 3-3-1. The game was a non-conference game for both teams, so the Bruins still atop the conference standings with a 5-0 record. The Bruins will next host Arizona State on Friday, Mar. 26 at 7pm.

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