Grabfelder and Madore score late second-half goals as Penn State draws UCLA

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Nittany Lions battled back from two goals down Friday night to split points with the visiting Bruins.

After a back-and-forth start to the match, UCLA opened the scoring in the 13th minute. Pablo Greenlee lofted a cross towards the penalty spot, finding the head of Jose Contell. Andrew Cooke mistakenly came off his line to try to collect the cross but got stuck in no man’s land and was beaten for the opening goal.

Penn State struggled throughout the first half. The Bruins forced the Nittany Lions to play without the ball, something the hosts have struggled to do all season. Penn State’s attack is not built for counter-attacking play; its opponents understand that.

The start of the second half mirrored the first half. UCLA was the aggressor, creating several good chances, and in the 53rd minute, it looked like it had put the match to bed. Freshman Artem Vovk received a cross in the box and fired a shot into the bottom right corner past Cooke, and the Bruins took a 2-0 lead.

Despite Penn State’s many struggles this season, the team has done well playing from behind. “We almost want to put on the scoreboard that we’re losing because we come back with such ferocity, intensity and togetherness; I think we just have to do that from the start of the game.” Head coach Jeff Cook said after the match.

Though the Nittany Lions did not register a single shot on goal through the opening 60 minutes of play, it took one effort from Caden Grabfelder in the 75th minute to get Penn State back into this match. Grabfelder picked up a loose pass in the midfield and rocketed the ball into the top corner from 30 yards out.

Penn State’s first goal brought the Jeffrey Field crowd back into the match. The Park Avenue Army was boosted by soccer players from local high schools tonight and did everything they could to bring the team back into the game. “When Caden’s goal went in, I actually thought to myself, I think the crowd is going to drive us forward, and we’re going to get something out of this [game],” Cook said.

The crowd turned from energetic to elated four minutes after Grabfelder’s goal as Penn State found the equalizer courtesy of Ben Madore's right foot. UCLA struggled to clear its lines, and Madore picked up the second ball at the top of the box and fired a shot that squeaked by Wyatt Nelson and made it to the goal.

The Nittany Lions spent the last 10 minutes of the match in desperate search of an equalizer but split points with UCLA in the end. “I believe it's a character result. A really important point in the standings. And I would point to the depth in the squad, the guys who come in and give this team a lift when we need it,” Cook said.

Penn State has struggled to score goals from open play this season. Before tonight's match, the team scored seven goals in the run of play. Take away the Saint Bonaventure match, and that number will fall to three.

Tonight, the Nittany Lions scored twice from open play; it was the second time they had accomplished such a feat this season. Cook believes Penn State’s offensive success Friday night was primarily due to the team’s defensive efforts.

“The better we are defensively, and the better we are with our pressing, the more chances we create.”

Owen Cameros is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email ohc5024@psu.edu.