A New Era Begins
The 2026 season got off to a surprising turn when the UCLA Bruins fell 2-1 to the BYU Cougars in their opening match.
UCLA struck first in the 38th minute, as Kara Croone received a clean pass from Grace Shank and slipped a low shot past the BYU keeper.
The Cougars answered quickly, leveling the score in the 42nd minute after a daring interception that set up Mariangela Medina’s diving finish.
In the second half, Ellie Walbruch capped the comeback with a powerful header from a free-kick, sealing a 2-1 lead for BYU.
Despite the loss, UCLA dominated possession, outshooting the Cougars 14-10, and eight newcomers — including freshmen Thea Perry and Anna Wilson and transfers Ava Priest, Cate Sarinopuolos, Olivia Woodson, Marli Galdamez, Asa Yamazaki and Abby Gemma — made their Bruins debut.
Head coach Gof Boyoko acknowledged the strength of his opponent, calling the result an unfortunate start to his tenure but remained focused on the road ahead.
The Bruins will next test themselves against Duke on September 16 at 6 p.m., hoping to translate the experience into a bounce-back performance.