USD Writes New Chapter in Soccer Playoffs : College soccer: Toreros finally defeat UCLA, 2-1, to advance to the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament.

It was the first time all season UCLA’s soccer team allowed more than one goal. That led to another first.

The University of San Diego had never defeated the Bruins. But Sunday in the NCAA championship round of 16, forwards Chugger Adair and Guillermo Jara led the Toreros into the quarterfinals as each scored in the second half of a come-from-behind 2-1 victory.

In eight previous matches between the two, USD had lost six times and tied the Bruins twice. UCLA came into the match ranked fifth in the nation and seeded No. 1 in the West region.

“I feel sorry for UCLA,” said Torero Coach Seamus McFadden. “But I don’t.”

McFadden then burst into a hearty laugh, one that had been suppressed since the fall of 1990 when UCLA kicked the Toreros out of the playoffs--after USD had scored first in a second-round game.

UCLA Coach Sigi Schmid learned what it’s like being on the wrong end of the score.

“I think they (Toreros) were a little hungrier,” he said. “They knew what it’s like to lose.”

The Toreros (17-4) survived because of the width of the goal’s frame work. Three times UCLA shots hit either a post or the crossbar.

“That’s six inches between missing and scoring,” Schmid said. “So we were 18 inches away from three more goals and a 4-2 score.”

In another way, the Bruins (13-3-3) were only a few yards from tying the game with less than two minutes remaining. That’s when freshman forward Ante Razov pushed a pass up field to midfielder Zak Ibsen in the penalty area. Ibsen first-timed the ball and sent it into the right side of the net. As UCLA celebrated, the goal immediately was waived offside by the head referee.

Afterward, Schmid said he couldn’t tell from his angle whether it was a just call, but McFadden, who had even less of a perspective, said it “was clearly three or four yards offside.”

When the Bruins finish cursing their misfortune, they can kick themselves for allowing their lead to wither despite out-playing the USD for the game’s first 56 minutes.

At that point the Toreros surprised themselves with their first goal. It was a result of desperation. Adair was trying to make a move on defender Ty Miller along the right sideline when he pushed the ball to the end line.

It almost went over, but Adair got to it and, realizing he didn’t have the angle to send the ball toward the far post, he drove a low liner to the near post.

Jara was making a run down the middle of the field, trying to anticipate where Adair’s pass would go. He had to choose between the far post and near, and ended up reading Adair’s mind.

It was perfect timing as Jara--some three yards from the post--bowed forward to head the ball and redirected it by goalie Brad Friedel.

“I was just making a near-post run like we do in practice,” Jara said. “It kind of surprised me.”

The goal not only tied the score but renewed the spirits of the Toreros.

“To tell you the truth,” said Adair, “going into the second half I was a little concerned because of the possession UCLA had and because of the control they had.”

At halftime the Toreros altered their strategy. Instead of pressuring UCLA’s defenders when they brought up the ball, the Toreros dropped back to their half of the field and waited for UCLA to move into an attacking posture.

“We wanted to drop back, absorb and counter,” McFadden explained. “That would give us the opportunity to counter attack, and all year we’ve had a great ability to translate our possessions into goals.”

USD’s second goal came after a free kick 60 minutes into the contest. Toby Taitano took it and booted the ball to Jara along the left side of the field. Jara immediately centered it to Adair, who squibbed a kick off the outside of his right foot and just inside the right post.

“Guillermo and Chugger work so well together,” McFadden said of his freshman and senior forwards. “And that has been our key. You would think ego would get in the way--a little freshman coming in and scoring goals--but the two compliment each other and understand their roles and what each other can do.”

Each now has 15 goals this season, and their team work Sunday tore down an advantage Joe-Max Moore gave the Bruins 35 minutes into the game as he scored on a direct free kick some 40 yards out. His shot looped around USD’s four-man wall and into the upper-right corner of the net.

Toreros goalie Scott Garlick could do nothing about it.

“Except,” Garlick said, “turn around and applaud. It was a great goal.”

Moore nearly duplicated that effort one minute after USD tied the game when he hit another free kick around USD’s defensive wall. This time it hit the left post.

The Toreros now look ahead to Sunday’s quarterfinals in which they will meet Indiana (14-5-4), a 2-0 winner over Washington. Both schools have put in bids to play host to the game, and a site will be announced today.

“I’d like to get to the final four,” McFadden said. “Usually each year you find a team that’s undefeated or something, but this year there isn’t anybody like that. The championship is there for the taking.”

It’s not that McFadden hopes to get past Indiana and into the semifinals--he expects to.

“We’re going to take Indiana,” he said. “We’re good enough.”