PASADENA — A line of powder blue fits filed into the Rose Bowl Stadium. The UCLA soccer crew was sharply dressed for its Large Ten debut.
The Saturday night sport in opposition to Indiana marked a brand new period for the Bruins. DeShaun Foster deepened his imprint on UCLA soccer, beginning with bringing again the custom of the Bruin Stroll.
“(Custom) is being embraced once more,” Terry Thompson, a 1985 UCLA soccer alumnus, mentioned. “Chip (Kelly) had a variety of help, however he didn’t present a variety of love again. Everybody’s enthusiastic about DeShaun as a result of he’s one among us.”
UCLA rolled out a brilliant blue carpet for the Bruin Stroll, which started on the sting of the Space H Fan Zone on Rosemont Avenue at roughly 1:40. Followers lined up on either side of the carpet to welcome the soccer crew, which solemnly parted the group.
Beginning gamers had been launched simply previous to kickoff, which is one other change for this season.
Followers and alumni like Thompson, who travels from Costa Mesa for a handful of video games each season, are feeling linked to UCLA as soon as once more — and particularly to Foster.
“He’s a Bruin by and thru, so he’s loyal,” Thompson mentioned. “He’s going to recruit to all of the positives of UCLA. He’s a hard-working man, so he’s bought a variety of help with folks concerned with the soccer crew and this system.”
Along with the Bruin Stroll, UCLA honored the seven newest members of the UCLA Athletic Corridor of Fame at halftime and had 4 former UCLA receivers function honorary captains for the sport: Drew Bennett, Freddie Mitchell, Brian Poli-Dixon and J.J. Stokes. Bennett and Stokes every went on to have multi-season NFL careers.
One other gradual begin
The sense of custom began the day on an optimistic observe, however UCLA’s efficiency within the first half quelled the passion. Indiana went into halftime with a 21-7 lead.
Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke despatched a brief move to Miles Cross for a landing with 8:31 left within the first quarter. The Bruins turned over the ball on their subsequent possession and Indiana went on to attain a 14-yard landing on a move from Kurtis Rourke to Ke’Shawn Williams.
Indiana led 21-0 earlier than Garbers set the Bruins up for his or her first landing of the sport with a 20-yard run after avoiding a sack with 1:18 left within the second quarter. TJ Harden completed off the scoring effort with a 1-yard landing run.
Moore begins in secondary
Devin Kirkwood was initially slated to begin at left cornerback in response to the depth chart that was launched earlier within the week however didn’t begin on Saturday in opposition to Indiana.
Kaylin Moore began in his place. Moore, an Oaks Christian Faculty product, made his first begin in a UCLA uniform after transferring from Cal Berkeley this season.
Kirkwood recorded two move breakups and a solo sort out within the first half.