No. 8 Michigan State men’s soccer suffered its first conference loss of the season Saturday, falling 3-0 to UCLA on the road after three second-half Bruin goals.
The Spartans entered the match with their best conference start, 3-0, in program history. They also received a boost earlier in the week when freshman midfielder Dominic Dono was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week. But despite controlling much of the opening half and creating several scoring opportunities, MSU could not find the back of the net.
On a 100-degree day in Los Angeles, MSU started strong, immediately testing UCLA goalkeeper Ryan Tiltack, who had returned to the lineup after missing time with an injury. Senior midfielder Leo Conneh put an early shot on target to no avail, while the Spartans pressured the Bruins with quick, one-touch passing through the opening 10 minutes. UCLA struggled to match MSU’s tempo at times, but responded with its own pressure as the teams traded possession.
The match remained largely even as both teams created chances. MSU junior goalkeeper Jake Grekowicz was called into action as UCLA pushed forward. Sophomore midfielder Peter Soudan tested Tiltack with another shot on goal, but the UCLA goalkeeper held on, keeping the match scoreless.
MSU had one of its best chances late in the first half when senior forward Richie Ludwig found an opening, but the attempt missed the net by roughly a meter. Neither side could break through before halftime, with both goalkeepers playing a significant role in keeping the score level.
“We played well in spells, but didn’t do what we needed to do to win on the road,” MSU head coach Damon Rensing said. “We were very good in the first 30 minutes. We controlled the game and created the majority of the chances. We just needed to find a goal in the first 30 minutes on the road.”
UCLA changed the game shortly after halftime. Three minutes into the second half, the Bruins moved the ball quickly through the box before UCLA's Diego Castano finished the sequence for the game's first goal. It was the first time MSU conceded a goal in conference play, putting the Spartans in an unfamiliar position as they attempted to respond.
MSU pushed for an equalizer, creating opportunities as the second half progressed, but feeling off-kilter, the entire lineup was hasty in its shot-making and one-on-one chances. As the Spartans searched for the tying goal, UCLA’s goalkeeper repeatedly stopped their attempts and kept MSU from finding the finish it needed.
As the Spartans became more aggressive in their attack, with substitutions replacing a strong backline, UCLA found opportunities in transition. Grekowicz made two late saves to keep MSU within one, but the Spartans struggled to regain control of the match and create the same quality of chances they had in the opening half. The Bruins eventually put the game away in the closing minutes. UCLA doubled its lead with four minutes remaining before adding a third goal just a minute later.
“I have to give credit to UCLA. They started the second half out bright, and then I thought we did a lot to go after them," Rensing said. "In the end, we just couldn’t quite get the tying goal. It wasn’t a 3-0 game; statistically, it was a very even game. We were obviously pushing to tie the game and gave up two in the last four minutes. We have been very good all season in front of the net, and tonight we were just not ourselves."
MSU will now regroup and find its footing after the setback before facing No. 6 Maryland in its next road match at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9, at Ludwig Field. The game will stream live on Big Ten Plus.
