LOS ANGELES - No. 6 Fresno State fell 24-11 to No. 4 UCLA at the Spieker Aquatics Center in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon. The 13-goal loss was Fresno State's largest of the season and largest since 2023. Saturday's game was the final nonconference matchup of the season for the Bulldogs, returning to Golden Coast Conference play next weekend.
Senior Brooke Ochoa tied her career-best and the program record with six goals against the Bruins. Her six goals came by 11 shots, another career-best for the senior. Hailey Andress added two goals, and Caitlyn Mossman, Sidney Strickland and Kira Anderson added one apiece.
How it Happened
The teams traded goals to open the game, with the equalizer by Andress. UCLA responded with two in a row before Strickland netted one off the 6-on-5 advantage. UCLA scored three unanswered before Ochoa scored her first of the game off a penalty attempt. UCLA tossed a hail mary attempt at the buzzer, and landed the goal, for a 7-3 lead through the first quarter.
UCLA scored the first goal of the second quarter, and the teams battled without a goal until Mossman scored on the assist from Susanna Martinez with 4:51 left in the half. The Bruins scored a pair, and Ochoa cut the run. UCLA ended the half with a 2-1 advantage in the final 2:30, with the Bulldog goal scored by Anderson.
At the half, UCLA led 12-6.
Nearly half the third quarter went by without a goal by either team, but UCLA again scored first. Ochoa scored another penalty shot with 3:56 remaining to make it a 13-7 game. A little over a minute later, Ochoa managed to draw an exclusion and score on the ensuing 6-on-5 chance. UCLA outscored Fresno State 4-1 to close out the third, with one more goal by Ochoa.
UCLA scored three unanswered to open the fourth and extend its lead to 20-9 before Andress scored the 10th goal of the afternoon for the Bulldogs. The Bruins scored a pair more, and Ochoa scored her sixth of the day on another power play opportunity. In the final minute of action, Fresno State saw two missed shots while the Bruins had two goals scored.
Up Next
Fresno State travels to Santa Clara on Saturday, March 8 for a 1 p.m. GCC matchup.