BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — The University of California-Los Angeles’ Brandon Case (Fr., El Cajon, Calif./Grossmont) racked up nine goals – including the deciding strike in the division title game – to earn status as the October 30 Pacific Coast Division Player of the Week.
UCLA – which entered the championship weekend hosted by California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo High School in San Luis Obispo, Calif. – opened competition on Saturday, October 28, by knocking off the University of California-Santa Barbara “B” via a 16-5 score thanks to three goals from Case. Taking on the UC-Santa Barbara “A” team later in the day with a berth in the Pacific Coast Division title tilt on the line, Case punched in a solo marker as the Bruins eluded the Gauchos, 8-7.
Facing the host Mustangs on Sunday, October 29, with the division championship and a spot in the 2023 Men’s National Collegiate Club Championship tournament on the line, Case closed the book on Cal Poly by rocking the iron with 1:30 left in the first overtime period for the deciding blow in an 8-7 victory.
The tally marked his fifth of the game against Cal Poly as he found the mesh with a single goal in the first quarter and a pair in the second quarter to stake the Bruins to a 6-3 halftime lead. Following a pair of scores by Cal Poly in the third quarter to inch within 6-5, UCLA saw its lead evaporate as the Mustangs bolted for back-to-back markers to go ahead 7-6 with approximately five minutes left in the fourth quarter. However, Case responded by drilling in the tying tally with 2:09 left in regulation to force overtime and buried the deciding factor in extra time to earn UCLA a trip to Utah for a shot at the Men’s National Collegiate Club Championship.
