Down the Slippery Slope

 

UC San Diego and UCLA met again at the Regionals Tournament in Cal Poly. The Tritons’ second game of the day, with the heat rising and the need to win for the team to continue on in the tournament, the Tritons began with a hunger for victory. The UCLA team came onto the field with high expectations, thirsty for revenge, hoping to catch the UC San Diego team tired from their first game. For most of the game they seemed to be equal counterparts. The Tritons began showing dominance on the field and holding onto
possession of the ball. They moved the ball well up the field but had few scoring opportunities. Suddenly, the UCLA keeper fouled Laurel Bowling right outside the eighteen yard box. Time seemed to slow down as the UCSD free kick is taken. Kelsey Haughan ran into the box and scored with the help of Elizabeth Blackwell faking out the keeper. The UC San Diego team ended the first half with the lead. As the second half kicked off, the UCLA team came out with greater energy than the last half. As the Tritons fought to keep their lead, the unthinkable happened: UCLA scored. The second half continued to be an ongoing battle. The Tritons attempted to keep UCLA from scoring again while trying to score themselves. Yet, at the end the two teams were
still tied, when a foul against the UC San Diego Women’s team was called outside the eighteen yard box. The kicker wound up to take it, and as much as the Tritons fought, the ball found the back of the net. The UCLA team scored and took lead of the game. Seconds following the return kick off the ref blew the whistle and the Tritons lost their chances of advancing in the regionals tournament.