UCLA’s Big Ten Tournament Title Protection Begins Saturday

UCLA BEGINS BIG TEN TOURNAMENT PLAY SATURDAY 

No. 3 seed UCLA (10-4-3) begins its Big Ten Tournament title protection on Saturday, Nov. 1 with a quarterfinal matchup towards No. 6 seed Penn State (9-6-3). The match will happen at Folk Field on the campus of Purdue University. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT. The winner will advance to the semifinal spherical on Thursday, Nov. 6 at Energizer Park in St. Louis.       

BIG TEN TOURNAMENT FORMAT

The Top 10 groups within the Big Ten standings certified to the Big Ten Tournament, which begins with the No. 7-10 seeds going through off within the opening spherical on Oct. 30 at Purdue. No. 8 Ohio State will open the event towards No. 9 Illinois at 4:30 p.m. ET. No. 7 Northwestern faces No. 10 USC at 7:30 p.m. The quarterfinal spherical begins on Nov. 1 with No. 4 Iowa going through No. 5 Wisconsin at  4:30 p.m., adopted by No. 3 UCLA vs. No. 6 Penn State at 7:30 p.m. On Nov. 2, Washington will face the winner of the Ohio State-Illinois contest at 12:30 p.m., adopted by Michigan State vs. the winner of the Northwestern-USC match at 3:30 p.m. The semifinals and ultimate will transfer subsequent week to St. Louis’ Energizer Park. The semifinals happen on Nov. 6 and the ultimate on Nov. 9.  

SCOUTING THE NITTANY LIONS

Penn State is 9-6-3 general and completed sixth within the Big Ten with a 5-4-2 convention report. Aubrey Kulpa leads the Nittany Lions and is tied for second within the Big Ten in scoring with 22 factors (8g, 6a). Kaitlyn MacBean ranks eighth within the convention in scoring with 17 factors and is tied for fourth with Kulpa in objectives scored with eight. Riley Gleason leads the convention in assists with 9. Goalkeeper Mackenzie Gress has began all 18 video games and holds a 1.21 objectives towards common, with three shutouts.  

THE SERIES WITH PENN STATE

UCLA leads the general collection, 4-3-1 and went 1-0-1 towards Penn State final season, taking victory within the Big Ten quarterfinals, 1-0, and tying 0-0 through the common season in Los Angeles. Nicki Fraser scored the profitable aim for the Bruins within the thirty sixth minute of the quarterfinal recreation, and the Bruins went on to win the Big Ten Tournament title.      

UCLA VS. BIG TEN

The Bruins are actually 118-21-11 (.823) all-time towards Big Ten groups and 39-6-4 (.837) vs. their new convention mates. UCLA has been additional formidable towards Big Ten opponents within the NCAA Tournament, sporting a 12-2 report, the one losses coming to Washington in 1995 and USC in 2007.  

IN THE RANKINGS

UCLA is ranked No. 20 in each the United Soccer Coaches and Top Drawer Soccer polls, dropping two spots within the former and 7 within the latter. Seven of UCLA’s opponents this yr are presently ranked within the coaches ballot – No. 2 Stanford, No. 9 Michigan State, No. 13 Iowa, No. 14 Tennessee, No. 16 Washington, No. 17 Georgia, and No. 24 Wisconsin. UCLA is 3-3-1 towards these groups, with wins over Georgia, Stanford and Iowa.    

LAST TIME OUT

UCLA wrapped up its common season with a 0-0 tie towards crosstown rival USC on Oct. 26, securing the No. 3 seed within the Big Ten Tournament with its twelfth shutout of the yr. The Bruins outshot USC, 19-6, however couldn’t get a shot previous Trojan goalkeeper Bella Grust, who tied her season-high with seven saves. UCLA’s top-ranked protection held the Trojans to zero pictures on aim. Kara Croone led all gamers with six pictures and tied with Leena Powell for many pictures on aim with three.     

TOP-RANKED DEFENSE

In 17 video games, UCLA’s protection has recorded 12 shutouts and allowed simply 5 objectives, for a staff objectives towards common of 0.29, which ranks first within the nation. UCLA ranks second nationally in save share (0.891, simply .001 behind nationwide chief Cal State Fullerton) and third in shutout share (0.706). The Bruins have allowed simply 4 objectives within the run of play this season, as one of many 5 objectives allowed was scored on a penalty kick. No opponent has scored multiple aim in a recreation this season, and the Bruins’ 4 losses have been by 1-0 scores. UCLA has held opponents to single-digit pictures in 11 of 17 video games, together with single-shot video games towards No. 6 Tennessee and No. 5 Iowa, a two-shot recreation towards Maryland, and three-shot video games at Portland, towards Oregon, at Michigan, towards Rutgers and at Wisconsin. Two opponents have been held with no shot on aim – Rutgers and USC. Freshman goalkeeper Daphne Nakfoor has allowed simply 5 objectives and ranks second within the nation with a 0.360 objectives towards common. She has six solo shutouts and 5 shared shutouts. Mariangela Medina has one solo and 5 shared shutouts and has not allowed a aim in 280 minutes performed.

This Bruin protection is sort of fully new from 2024, with solely Paloma Daubert coming back from the squad that led the nation with 16 shutuouts and a 0.42 objectives towards common. The 2024 Bruin protection featured two present NWSL starters in Lilly Reale and Jayden Perry, All-American and NWSL goalkeeper Ryan Campbell, and 2024 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Nicki Fraser, who has been out all season as a consequence of an harm. The 2025 Bruin protection has featured senior switch Jennie Immethun, sophomore Daubert, senior Lily Boyden and freshmen Grace Shank and Laila Edris, together with freshman goalkeeper Nakfoor. Freshman middle again Meila Brewer has solely performed six video games this yr as a consequence of National Team commitments.            

BALANCED SCORING  

Nine totally different gamers have scored for the Bruins this season. Bella Winn leads the staff with six objectives, Emma Egizii has three, and Kara Croone, Payten Cooper and Val Vargas have scored two every. Four others have one aim every – Grace Shank, Oruha Hayashi, Lexi Wright and Lily Boyden. Two extra gamers are on the stat sheet with one help every – Leena Powell and Julia Molnar.                    

GAME WINN-ER  

Redshirt freshman Bella Winn continues to hit game-winners for the Bruins. Of her six objectives this yr, 4 have been game-winners – at Georgia Aug. 14, vs. Stanford Sept. 7, vs. Maryland Sept. 28 and vs. Nebraska Oct. 19. Her newest heroics got here Oct. 19 towards Nebraska, scoring two objectives in lower than three minutes to provide UCLA a 2-0 halftime lead. Winn ranks second within the Big Ten with 4 game-winning objectives. She additionally leads the staff in objectives scored with six and in factors with 13. Winn’s two-goal recreation was the primary multiple-goal recreation by a Bruin since Emma Egizii scored two objectives within the 2024 season opener on Aug. 15, 2024. The 5 factors scored by Winn had been essentially the most by a Bruin since Oct. 8, 2023 when Reilyn Turner recorded six factors after a hat trick.  

FOURS UP FOR NAKFOOR

UCLA freshman goalkeeper Daphne Nakfoor has began 16 of UCLA’s 17 video games in aim this season and have become the primary true freshman to start out in aim on opening day for UCLA since Teagan Micah in 2016. Nakfoor ranks second nationally with a objectives towards common of 0.360, permitting simply 5 objectives this season, and is twelfth within the nation and second within the Big Ten in save share (0.857). She has six solo and 5 shared shutouts. On Sept. 9, Nakfoor earned Top Drawer Soccer National Player of the Week and Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week honors after recording a pair of shutouts at Portland and towards then-top-ranked Stanford. She recorded 9 saves on 21 pictures towards the Cardinal, essentially the most saves by a Bruin goalkeeper since Lauren Brzykcy additionally had 9 towards Duke in 2022, and totaled 5 at Michigan State. Nakfoor turned the primary goalkeeper this season to report a shutout towards Stanford, which had entered the sport because the nation’s high scoring offense.  

COMEBACK KIDS

Redshirt seniors Emma Egizii and Lexi Wright and redshirt freshman forwards Bella Winn and Sammy Sanchez all returned to motion this yr after lacking most, if not all, of the 2024 season with accidents. 

Egizii, who scored two objectives in three video games in 2024 earlier than getting injured throughout recreation 4 of the season, posted her first aim of the yr towards Portland on Sept. 4 and accounted for 4 of UCLA’s six objectives in a pair of 3-0 wins towards Iowa and Nebraska, scoring one aim and totaling three assists en path to Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week honors. She leads the Bruins in assists with 5 and ranks second in scoring with 11 factors and three objectives. 

Wright sustained a season-ending harm early in preseason in 2024 however has come again to play 13 video games in her redshirt senior season this yr. Her first aim since 2023 got here towards No. 1 Stanford, her second profession aim in two video games towards top-ranked groups. She additionally assisted on the game-winner at Michigan. 

Winn is UCLA’s main scorer, totaling six objectives, 4 game-winning objectives and 13 factors. She earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors per week in the past after contributing to all three of UCLA’s objectives within the win over Nebraska with two objectives and one help within the 3-0 victory. In 2024, Winn recorded a aim and an help within the Bruins’ first two video games of the yr however was injured whereas scoring her aim.  

Sanchez made her season debut on Oct. 19 towards Nebraska, enjoying 19 minutes and taking one shot on aim. Sanchez performed within the first 4 video games of her freshman marketing campaign earlier than struggling a season-ending knee harm on Aug. 25, 2024 towards Santa Clara. She had averaged 44 minutes in these 4 video games, with a excessive of 58 minutes off the bench at Cal Poly.     

VAMOS VARGAS  

Junior Val Vargas has both scored or assisted on the game-winning aim in 4 of the Bruins’ final 5 victories. She accounted for the Bruins’ lone objectives of their 1-0 wins over Rutgers Sept. 25 and at Michigan Sept. 21 and assisted on the game-winners vs. Maryland on Sept. 28 and vs. Nebraska on Oct. 19. Vargas’ final three objectives scored for UCLA have been game-winners, two of them coming towards Rutgers, within the 2024 Big Ten Championship recreation and at residence on Sept. 25. She ranks second on the staff with three assists and is third in scoring with seven factors.                   

IMPACT TRANSFERS 

UCLA welcomed two skilled transfers to the squad in 2025 – defender Jennie Immethun and ahead Oruha Hayashi. Immethun involves UCLA from TCU, the place she earned second-team All-Big 12 honors in 2024. She began 20 video games in 2024 whereas serving to the Big 12 champions report seven shutouts, and in 2023, she began in 10 video games. Hayashi joined the Bruins after two years at Iowa Western, the place she twice received the United Soccer Coaches Player of the Year for Junior College Division 1. Hayashi, who scored 25 objectives in 2024 and 19 in 2023, was chosen the 2024-25 Betty Jo Graber NJCAA Female Student-Athlete of the Year. Both have made large impacts on their new staff, as Immethun was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after serving to the Bruins report a shutout within the season opener. She leads UCLA in minutes performed and has two aim line saves whereas main a Bruin protection that has allowed simply 5 objectives all yr and holds a nation’s greatest 0.29 objectives towards common. Hayashi has performed in 16 video games and has 12 begins. She scored a aim within the Bruins’ exhibition win over LMU and netted her first official aim as a Bruin within the 2-0 win over Long Beach State and her first help on UCLA’s ultimate aim within the 2-0 win over Stanford. She added one other help on the game-tying aim at Michigan State and assisted on the game-winner towards Iowa. She is tied for second on the staff in assists with three.                

FRESH CLASS 

The Bruins introduced in a dynamic recruiting class, highlighted by U.S. Youth National Team gamers Sofia Atehortua, Meila Brewer, Cassidy Doogan, Daphne Nakfoor, Leena Powell and Grace Shank, and Egyptian Youth National Team participant Laila Edris. Powell performed within the 2025 U-20 Concacaf Championships, and Brewer helped lead the U-17s to the 4 Nations Tournament title this summer time. Also becoming a member of UCLA in 2025 had been freshmen Payten Cooper, Jordyn Dunn, Siena Meyer and Julia Molnar. All 11 freshmen noticed motion within the Bruins’ exhibition towards LMU, and all however Dunn has seen motion through the common season. Three freshmen have began in 10 or extra video games – Nakfoor with 16 and Powell and Shank with 12. Cooper, the Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Sept. 2, ranks fourth on the staff with two objectives and fifth in scoring with 5 factors. Shank, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 21, has three factors and netted her first profession aim on Oct. 16 vs. Iowa. Fellow freshman Molnar assisted on Shank’s aim for her first collegiate level. Powell is the fourth freshman to attain a degree, as she assisted Cooper on the game-winner towards Long Beach State. Nakfoor, the Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week on Sept. 9, ranks second within the nation with a 0.36 objectives towards common and has six solo and 5 shared shutouts.            

IMMETHUN NAMED TO MIDSEASON MAC HERMANN TROPHY WATCH LIST 

Senior defender Jennie Immethun has been chosen to the 35-member MAC Hermann Trophy Midseason Watch List. Immethun transferred to UCLA this season from TCU and has made a direct affect with the Bruins. She has performed in a team-high 1418 minutes this yr whereas main a Bruin protection that has allowed simply 5 objectives all season. UCLA holds a 0.31 objectives towards common, which ranks first within the nation. She was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after serving to the Bruins report a shutout within the season opener at Georgia, making a aim line save with 30 seconds left to play to protect the 1-0 victory. Immethun made one other aim line save just a few weeks later, knocking away a header that appeared headed for aim in a 2-0 win at Portland. 

FOUR BRUINS SELECTED TO MIDSEASON TOP 100 LISTS 

Senior Jennie Immethun and freshmen Daphne Nakfoor, Leena Powell and Grace Shank have been chosen to Top Drawer Soccer’s Midseason Top 100 lists. Immethun ranks 18th on the Top 100 Player checklist, whereas Nakfoor ranks twelfth, Powell sixtieth and Shank 82nd on the Top 100 freshman checklist. Immethun has began each recreation for the Bruins. Nakfoor has began 16 of 17 video games, Powell has began in 12 of 15 video games performed, and Shank has made 12 begins whereas enjoying in each recreation. 

BREWER SELECTED TO U-17 WORLD CUP SQUAD  

Freshman defender Meila Brewer was chosen for the U.S. roster for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. The 24-team event takes place in Morocco from Oct. 17-Nov. 8. The USA opened the event towards Ecuador on Oct. 18 with a 3-0 win during which Brewer scored the game-winning aim within the first half, and so they received Group C with a 3-0 report. Brewer, who has 5 caps with the U.S. staff, has began six video games for the Bruins in 2025, and UCLA recorded 4 shutouts in these six video games. Brewer missed three video games earlier within the season (BYU, Long Beach State and Portland) whereas at nationwide staff camp in Spain and has been out because the Washington recreation on Oct. 4.                    

GOOD WORK, LEXI 

Redshirt senior Lexi Wright was chosen as a member of the inaugural Allstate NACDA Good Works Team (Fall). The award acknowledges female and male student-athletes throughout all divisions and sports activities who go above and past of their dedication to group service, educational achievement and athletic efficiency. Wright helps kids with most cancers by Zoe’s Goal-Scoring Against Childhood Cancer, a non-profit group that raises consciousness about pediatric most cancers, advocates for analysis and funding and helps younger most cancers sufferers. Wright does common hospital visits to UCLA’s Mattel Children’s Hospital to go to with sufferers and has labored with the UCLA campus group Unified, which performs sports activities with particular wants youngsters weekly and holds an Inclusive Sports Day. She additionally volunteers with Football For Her, a non-profit group that gives a secure area and motivates those that determine as feminine or non-binary to play, no matter their financial standing. 

BRUIN DEBUTS

Eight gamers made their Bruin debuts within the season opener, together with six freshmen. Making begins had been senior switch Jennie Immethun and freshmen Daphne Nakfoor, Grace Shank, Leena Powell and Meila Brewer. Coming in off the bench had been junior switch Oruha Hayashi and freshmen Leila Edris and Payten Cooper. Sofia Atehortua earned her first profession minutes towards Tennessee, Julia Molnar made her collegiate debut at BYU, Cassidy Doogan performed her first recreation towards Long Beach State, and Siena Meyer debuted at Portland.