Cal Poly Falls at UCLA in NCAA Tournament First Round, 2-0

Thursday, November 19

Los Angeles, CA

7 pm

11-5-5

UCLA

11-8-1

Cal Poly

UCLA

Cal Poly Falls at UCLA in NCAA Tournament First Round, 2-0

11/19/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

POSTMATCH REACTION: STEVEN SAMPSON, CHASE MINTER, MATT LAGRASSA

LOS ANGELES – UCLA midfielder Jordan Vale's 59th-minute goal stood as the game-winner and the Bruins received a 77th-minute Cal Poly own goal as the Mustang men's soccer program's first trip to the NCAA Tournament in seven seasons ended with a first-round loss Thursday evening at Drake Stadium.

Senior goalkeeper Wade Hamilton (top) recorded a save in his final appearance for Cal Poly (11-5-5), which forced UCLA goalkeeper Juan Cervantes into four saves, but was outshot on the night, 13-7.

Cal Poly, appearing in its third NCAA Division I Tournament and first since topping UCLA in the 2008 first round, earned an at-large bid to the field of 48 teams after finishing as Big West Conference South Division runners-up and reaching the Big West Tournament semifinals.

Despite Thursday's defeat, Cal Poly still finished the 2014 season by matching a program record with 11 total victories.

With Thursday's win, UCLA (11-8-1) advanced to face 11th-seeded Seattle in Sunday's second round.

Neither program produced a shot attempt until UCLA defender Chase Gasper hit the side netting off of a Jackson Yueill free kick in the 10th minute.

Yueill then blistered a shot high of Hamilton in the 29th minute and Vale saw a 30th-minute attempt blocked.

It was Cal Poly, however, that produced the game's first shot on goal as a 35th-minute free kick from senior midfielder Chase Minter forced a diving save from UCLA goalkeeper Juan Cervantes toward the right post.

Hamilton thwarted UCLA's best chance of the opening half seven minutes from the break as he sprawled out to parry away a dribbled ball by forward Seyi Adekoya, who was charging down on goal.

Cal Poly enjoyed two late chances in the first half to grab a lead, but senior midfielder Matt LaGrassa fired high of the crossbar from the top of the penalty area on 43 minutes. Thirty seconds later, junior forward Justin Dhillon headed a Minter corner wide of the left post.

Into the second half, UCLA opened with the best opportunities as midfielder Jose Hernandez fired wide in the 54th before Adekoya wove himself into the Mustang penalty area and missed Cal Poly's right post in the 55th.

The Bruins then produced their first goal on 59 minutes. With UCLA earning one of its six corner kick opportunities, Jackson sent a ball in for Vale, who headed past Hamilton for the opener.

Cal Poly's best chance to equalize occurred six minutes later, but Minter was turned away by Cervantes.

After Bruins forward Abu Danladi struck the right post with a 70th-minute attempt and Yueill forced Hamilton into a save four minutes later, UCLA received its second goal on 77 minutes as Mustang junior defender Austin Wilcox – attempting to cover Bruin attackers – turned, made contact with the ball and rolled it past Hamilton.