No. 23 UCLA Set to Face Oregon State

No. 23 UCLA (6-2-0, 2-0-0) at Oregon State (4-1-1, 0-0-0)
Date/Time: Thursday, Sept. 30 - 6:00 p.m. (PT)
Location: Corvallis, Ore. (Paul Lorenz Field)
TV: Pac-12 Networks (Pac-12 Los Angeles)
TV Talent: Ann Schatz
Stream: Pac-12.com / Pac-12 Now app
Live Stats

UCLA Returns to Pac-12 Play, Travels to Pacific Northwest
After opening the season with seven-of-eight games at home, the Bruins hit the road this week for a pair of Pac-12 contests. UCLA first faces Oregon State on Thursday night in Corvallis, then heads further north for a matchup at No. 2 Washington on Sunday afternoon. Both contests will be televised on Pac-12 Networks, and can be streamed live via Pac-12.com/live or the Pac-12 Now app. Fans can also follow along with live stats on uclalivestats.com and live updates via the team Twitter account, @UCLAMSoccer. 

In The Polls
UCLA appeared at No. 23 in this week's United Soccer Coaches Poll, representing the Bruins' first appearance in the coaches poll since Oct. 16, 2018 and their first appearance in the top-25 of a major national poll since Sept. 10, 2019 (No. 13; TopDrawerSoccer). UCLA was also No. 3 in this week's United Soccer Coaches Far West Region poll, a season-high and the fourth straight week the team has appeared in those rankings. Among this week's opponents, Washington is ranked No. 2 nationally and No. 1 regionally, while Oregon State is No. 6 in the Far West Region poll. 

Hot Start
With six wins to this point, UCLA is off to its best eight-game start to a season since 2009 (6-1-1). The 2021 Bruins are the fourth squad over the last 20 years of program history to log six wins over the first eight games of a season (2003, 2005, 2009, 2021). 

Quick Hits

• UCLA enters the week having won three straight, and six of its last seven games
• Over the last seven games, the Bruins are outscoring their opponents 13-4 and outshooting them 76-47
• Six of UCLA's first eight games have been decided by one goal
• The Bruins are 6-0 when scoring first, and 0-2 when the opponent scores first 

Holding Them Off
UCLA has allowed one goal or fewer in seven consecutive games, a first for the program since Aug. 26 to Sept. 23, 2016. The Bruins haven't had a streak of eight games since the 2012 season (nine games). 

The Week In Review
The Bruins had just one game last week, defeating Big West member UC Riverside by a score of 2-1 at Wallis Annenberg Stadium on Saturday night. Despite a dominant first half, the Bruins needed a late penalty conversion from Kevin Diaz to seal the result, as the senior forward connected in the 86th minute for the go-ahead and game-winning goal. Both of UCLA's goals were the results of forced turnovers; Tucker Lepley picked off a first-time pass in UCLA's offensive half in the 17th minute and shortly thereafter sniped a low left-footed shot, then Aaron Edwards took over possession after a too-long touch by a UCR player and was subsequently taken down inside the box to set up Diaz's PK. UCLA outshot the visitors 12-9 for the contest, including a 9-2 margin in the first half alone. 

The Series Against Oregon State
The Bruins own a 35-9-3 record all-time against Oregon State. UCLA had a four-game losing streak against the Beavers before taking them down at Wallis Annenberg Stadium during the spring 2021 season. The Bruins will be seeking their first win in Corvallis since 2017. 

Last Season Against Oregon State
UCLA split the season series with Oregon State this spring, with the home team recording a 2-1 win in both contests. A highlight reel goal from Grayson Doody - his debut collegiate goal - wasn't enough for the Bruins in Corvallis, with the Beavers netting twice in the final 17 minutes to log the come-from-behind win. Justin Garces stopped a PK in the 58th minute to preserve UCLA's lead at the time. The Bruins returned the favor on Apr. 3, grabbing a goal on either end of halftime and withstanding a late OSU charge to record the win. Diaz and Constantinos Michaelides had the goals for UCLA, Diaz (33') on a PK drawn by Doody and Michaelides (64') on a breakaway after sprinting past the last man on a counterattack.  

Slippery Silva
With four goals on the season, UCLA's Tommy Silva is tied atop the Pac-12 leaderboard for goalscoring. He has led or co-led the conference in goals ever since notching his first career brace, on Sept. 6 against CSUN. Silva also paces the Pac-12 in game-winning goals with three. In fact, only two players nationally have more game-winners than him. The Tucson, Ariz. native has six goals and 16 points over 20 career games at UCLA. 

No Chance
UCLA has held its opponent to single-digit shots in every game so far for the fall 2021 campaign, has allowed two shots-on-goal or fewer in six of eight contests, and has allowed a single-game high of just five shots on goal. 

Hitting Pay Dirt
UCLA has scored a pair of goals in each of its last three matchups, against Stanford, Cal, and UC Riverside. This is the first time the Bruins have scored multiple goals in three consecutive games since Sept. 5-17, 2016 (6-1 vs. Akron, 4-0 vs. CSUN, 2-1 at UC Santa Barbara). 

On The Mark
So far this season, the Bruins have shown themselves to be adept at getting their shot attempts on target, with 41 of the team's 82 shots going on frame. UCLA's 50% shot accuracy as a team paces the Pac-12 Conference and ranks 12th in the country.