Sept. 26, 2010
Fullerton, Calif. -
Reed Williams' goal from point blank range with less than 6 minutes to play lifted UCLA to a 3-2 non-conference men's soccer victory Sunday evening at Cal State Fullerton.
The No. 13 and No. 15-ranked Bruins improved to 5-2-1 while the Titans fell to 1-4-2.
Patrick Matchett's cross from just shy of the end line to the right of goal was touched by Kelyn Rowe and found Williams all alone and he easily beat goalkeeper Trevor Whiddon to break a 2-2 tie with his second goal of the season.
Fullerton had twice come from behind. Mark Nelson's header beat goalkeeper Brian Rowe in the 35th minute off a corner kick and matched Evan Raynr's tap-in goal for the Bruins in the 33rd minute, leaving the score tied at 1-1 at the half. It was Nelson's first goal of the year.
UCLA regained the lead in the 64th minute when Eder Arreola came in alone on Whiddon from the left side after a pass from Ryan Hollingshead, who had collected a ricochet of a clearing attempt by Fullerton's Antonio Vernaschi. The Titans tied it at 2-2 in the 76th minute when Nick Posthuma muscled the ball past Rowe from about 12 yards on the right and rolled the ball inside the left post. Ritchie Gonzalez assisted on Posthuma's team-high fourth goal of the year.
Each team had two near misses. UCLA's Hollingshead hit the left post in the 23rd minute and Whiddon made an acrobatic save in the 78th minute. He got a hand on a shot that then hit the cross bar. With his momentum heading into the net, he collected the rebound and twisted his body around so that the ball did not cross the goal line.
UCLA defenders twice knocked away Titan shots that had gotten by Rowe. Oscar Aguero was denied in the 35th minute and Jesse Escalante was stopped in the 70th minute. Fullerton also had a breakaway by Anthony Rosales in the 51st minute but his shot went wide left.
Whiddon finished with 5 saves to 1 for Rowe as UCLA outshot Fullerton, 20-11, and improved its lead in the all-time series to 29-7-3.