Sept. 2, 2005
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara University men's soccer season has just begun, but the way the 13th-ranked Broncos' victory over second-ranked UCLA tonight could be considered an instant classic.
Junior reserve forward Keith DeVey (Kula, Hawai'I) scored an improbable goal in the 88th minute to break a 2-all tie and give Santa Clara a 3-2 season-opening victory at Cal State Fullerton's Titan Stadium.
"Certainly tonight is the pinnacle of the season so far," remarked DeVey after the game, stating the obvious. "We knew coming in that UCLA is always tough and that we'd have our work cut out for us. In the end, I was just really thankful that I could make the shot to win the game."
The Broncos, 1-0-0 on the season, outshot the Bruins (0-1-0) by a 17-8 margin in the game and maintained most of the possession for the full 90 minutes. Senior forward Kelechi Igwe registered three of his four shots on goal, while Mehdi Ballouchy attempted five shots overall. Peter Lowry scored on two of his four shots attempted.
"I thought we played organized and composed for the first 45 minutes," said head coach Cameron Rast. "In the second half, we played a lot looser and it showed when we gave up the two goals. One game does not a season make and we have a long way to go. Hopefully, we can learn from this game and move on from here."
Santa Clara took the lead in the 30th minute on a penalty kick by sophomore Lowry following a foul by UCLA's Marvell Winn on Matt Hatzke in the Broncos' penalty area. Just five minutes later, Ballouchy's blast from 25 yards out was saved by the hand of Bruin defender Brandon Owens, earning the UCLA junior a red card and providing Lowry a chance to increase the Broncos' lead to 2-0.
UCLA stormed back in the second half with a one-time shot from the top of the penalty box by Jordan Harvey off a pass from Kamani Hill. Reserve Maxwell Griffin scored off a Marvell Wynne pass in the 65th minute to tie the game.
In the 88th minute DeVey dribbled the ball into the right side of the UCLA penalty area and took a shot from just shy of the end line. Bruin goalkeeper Nate Pena was unable to stop the shot from entering the goal just inside the crossbar on the far post.
"I knew there wasn't anyone to cross it to so I decided to just shoot it," said DeVey. "The only thing I could try to do is roof it and, fortunately for us, I got lucky and it went in."
"Keith can score goals for us, that's why we had him in the game in such a critical situation," said Rast. "He's deceptively quick and he is fast. He had a good chance and took it and we were able to walk away with the win."
Santa Clara returns to action Sunday at 2 p.m. against host Cal State Fullerton in a single game at Titan Stadium.