UCLA Holds Off Arizona in a Wild One

02.23.2025College Men

UCLA and Arizona clashed in a really close and exciting game Saturday between two former PAC teams.

Both are playing as independents now, but this is still a strong rivalry and the games are frequently close. In this case it certainly was, as the Bruins held off Arizona 30-27 in LA.

Arizona took an early 3-0 lead on a penalty goal from Ted Champion, and the Wildcats did a good job keep UCLA back in their 22 with a solid kicking game.

After 15 minutes Arizona broke through and threatened the UCLA line. But the Bruins defense held on. Instead the Bruins got out of trouble and eventually got into the Arizona 22, earning a penalty in front of the posts. Flyhalf Vicente Allue slotted the goal tie it up.

Allue followed that up a few minutes later. The flyhalf cut through the Arizona defense and sent a grubber ahead. a UCLA chaser and Arizona defender raced back to get the ball, and neither could get a handle on the ball. While they all hit the deck, Allue raced in and dove on the ball to score the try. He converted and it was 10-3. Another relatively straightforward penalty for ALlue put UCLA up 13-3 with halftime approaching.

But the Wildcats closed the gap on a play that was somewhat similar to UCLA's try. This time Champion was working his way down the sideline and sent a grubber down the line for fullback Matteo Berenger to chase. Berenger and the UCLA defender raced after the ball, got tangled up with each other, and left the ball which Champion chased down and dove on to score.

That made it 13-8 at halftime.

Early in the second half UCLA extended their lead. Arizona was on the attack but a mistimed pass hit the ground and Bruin wing Sergio Rocca toed it ahead and chase it in. Try converted and it was 20-8.

Arizona answered. They took a lineout on a penalty, mauled it close, and finally lock Jack Bresland took a flat pass and bareled over and through three defenders to score the try. Champion converted to bring his side within five at 20-15. After Allue slotted another penalty but then Arizona scored the try of the day.

In their best sequence of the day they moved the ball snappily from sideline to sideline before they found reserve wing Nick Morgan, who charged down the sideline breaking tackles from four separate UCLA defenders before diving over in the corner. It was an astonishing finish from Morgan and that made it 23-20.

UCLA answered, however. They worked their way close and the forwards ran a series of pick-and-go moves before lock Will Sherman was over. Conversion good and it was 30-20. The Wildcats still had time, and when UCLA got a yellow card for a professional foul, they opted for the lineout and maul. The Bruins defended it well and held the ball up in-goal. But UCLA wasn't out of trouble yet. From the ensuing goalline dropout the Wildcats countered. Flyhalf Saxon Gerstl sold a dummy and angled his way under the posts. Allue converted and it was 30-27 with six minutes left.

The Bruins closed it out, however. They spent almost the entire remainder of the game inside the Arizona half, whether with the ball or not. And Arizona just couldn't get in position to score those final, crucial points.

It was a tense and well-played game, and certainly showed that these teams are very close.

Next up for UCLA is Central Washington in California. Arizona, meanwhile, hosts BYU.