Bruins Open Four-Game Road Trip at Rutgers

UCLA (8-5-1, 3-3-1 P12) at Rutgers (8-3-5, 4-2-2 B1G)
Date/Time: Saturday, Oct. 29 - 9:00 a.m. (PT)
Location: Piscataway, N.J. (Yurcak Field)
TV/Stream: Big Ten Network
Live Stats

UCLA OPENS ROAD TRIP AT RUTGERS
The UCLA men's soccer team opens up a regular-season-ending four-game road trip this week, heading to the east coast to face Rutgers on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 9:00 a.m. The game will be televised and streamed on the Big Ten Network (subscription required), and fans can also follow along with live stats on uclalivestats.com and Twitter updates via @UCLAMSoccer.

QUICK HITS

• UCLA is 8-5-1 overall on the year, and is third in the Pac-12 table with 10 points (3-3-1)
• The Bruins are playing at Rutgers for the first time since 2002
• 12 different players have recorded a point so far for UCLA, including eight separate goalscorers
• UCLA's seven shutouts on the season are tied for No. 12 in the country
• The Bruins have allowed one goal or fewer in nine consecutive games, conceding just four goals total in that span
• UCLA is 7-0 this season when scoring first, and 1-5 when conceding first
• In all competitions, the Bruins are averaging just 3.5 shots on goal against 
• 2021: 11-7-1, reached second round of NCAA Tournament, +8 goal differential (all best since 2015)

IN THE POLLS
UCLA received votes in the College Soccer News national poll, and was tabbed No. 4 in the United Soccer Coaches Far West Region poll 

• UCLA had been nationally ranked every week up until Oct. 11, and has received votes in three CSN polls since then
• The Bruins debuted at No. 20 in the preseason polls and moved up as high as No. 4
• The Bruins' No. 4 ranking earlier this season was the program's highest since Sept. 1, 2015 (No. 1)
• UCLA was ranked No. 4 in this week's United Soccer Coaches Far West Region poll, behind only Washington, Stanford, and UCSB

THE WEEK IN REVIEW
UCLA split a pair of home games last week, downing California 1-0 on Thursday night before falling to Stanford by the same scoreline on Sunday. Cal played most of the match with 10 men after being assessed a red card in the 32nd minute, and the Bruins took advantage less than 10 minutes later as Jose Contell knocked in the game-winning goal off a Tommy Silva cross. Cal had just two shots after going a man down, both last-ditch efforts in the final 10 minutes. A 71st minute goal by Shane de Flores was the difference against Stanford, as UCLA was blanked for the first time since Oct. 2 vs. Washington. Kevin Diaz made a 68th minute goal-line clearance for UCLA. The Bruins honored their seven senior players at halftime of the game against Stanford. 

ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST RUTGERS

• UCLA owns a 6-1-1 record all-time against Rutgers, including a 1-1-1 mark in road matchups
• The Bruins last faced the Scarlet Knights in 2011, a 3-0 win at UCLA in the third round of the NCAA Tournament
• UCLA is playing at Rutgers for the first time since 2002, a 1-1 tie
• 1990 was the most significant year in the series ... Rutgers defeated UCLA in New Jersey during the regular season for their lone win in the head-to-head series, but the Bruins got revenge and then some by defeating Rutgers in the 1990 National Championship game
• The Bruins' lone win at Rutgers came in 1994

LAST TIME OUT AGAINST THE SCARLET KNIGHTS
Chandler Hoffman scored two goals to lead UCLA to a 3-0 win over Rutgers on Nov. 27, 2011 in the third round of the NCAA Tournament. Hoffman opened the scoring just 41 seconds into the match, the fastest in program history for a postseason game (fourth-fastest overall).Victor Chavez knocked in a rebound of a Kelyn Rowe shot in the 44th to give the Bruins a multi-goal lead at halftime. The result was the seventh of a program-record eight-consecutive shutouts for UCLA that season. The Bruins ultimately reached the 2011 College Cup, falling in PKs to North Carolina in the national semifinals. 

KEEPING IT CLEAN
Thanks in part to a large advantage in possession numbers, UCLA is committing just 9.14 fouls per game to this point of the season. That figure ranks second in the Pac-12 Conference and No. 13 nationally (1st: St. Bonaventure, 7.36). 

NATE THE GREAT
UCLA keeper Nate Crockford enters the week at or near the top of the Pac-12 in practically every goalkeeping statistic. He sits alone in the league with seven solo shutouts and is tied for the lead in minutes (1,260). His .780 save percentage and 0.79 goals-against-average both rank second, and his eight wins and 39 saves both rank third. He's allowed one goal or fewer in nine consecutive games, and is averaging 3.5 saves per game over his last 10 contests.

PUTTING DOWN ROOTS
Sunday's game marks a significant departure for the Bruins, who have seldom left the environs of Southern California this season. The Bruins haven't played outside Greater Los Angeles since Sept. 18 at California (Berkeley, Calif.) and haven't played outside the state of California since Sept. 10 (at Portland). 

GOOD START
UCLA started off the year 3-0-0 for the first time since 2002
The Bruins went 5-2-1 over their first eight games, the second time that UCLA had two losses or fewer in that time span since 2014

STAYING CLOSE
The Bruins have shown a penchant for close games in recent times. Dating back to last season, UCLA has had 24 of the last 32 games (and 20 of the last 25) decided by one goal or fewer. UCLA's three-goal margin of victory over Liberty on Sept. 2, 2022 was its largest since taking down San Diego State 4-1 on Nov. 12, 2021. 

HOLDING IT DOWN
UCLA has allowed one goal or fewer in nine consecutive games dating to Sept. 15's scoreless draw against Stanford. The Bruins have allowed just four goals total in that span, while going 5-3-1. This is the longest streak of such games for UCLA under fourth-year head coach Ryan Jorden, eclipsing a seven-game streak from Aug. 29-Sept. 25, 2021. It also matches the longest streak for any UCLA team since 2012 (nine games between Sept. 2-Oct. 5, 2012).