USC women’s soccer came to play against UC Berkeley with a convincing 2-0 victory. After failing to win in their last four games (0-1-3), Southern California bounced back in front of an electric atmosphere. The stands were packed on McAlister Field, bringing a surge of motivation for the players. 

“It was a huge crowd today, and that’s always really nice. We all came to these games so it’s really nice for me personally to see the young girls come out,” said senior defender Zoe Burns in an interview with the Daily Trojan. “I see a little girl come up, and she’s like, ‘I’m the smallest on my team’ or ‘I play in the back’ and she’s always a short one. Then she’s like, ‘I love you guys,’ which always feels good.”

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Burns is one of those shorter players at 5 foot 2, but hasn’t let it stop her from dominating this season. She is currently tied for the second most assists in the Pac-12 as a defender. With six assists and clinical defensive performances, she has become a role model for these young aspiring athletes.

After the win, kids and parents lined the sideline while waiting patiently for autographs and a chance to talk to their idols. Foldable tables were set up for each fan to file through and talk to the players. The way everyone in the community was able to pull together and form a memorable experience is very special. At the heart of this magical moment was the dominant performance itself.

USC (10-3-3, 6-1-3 Pac-12) started slow but quickly fell into a rhythm. Shaky passes were replaced with sharp ones as the team settled into the game. They were patient and maintained possession until the right opportunities opened up. This sense of composure slowly broke down a tough Berkeley (7-5-6, 4-2-4) side.

Freshman forward Maribel Flores opened the scoring early for the Trojans. Junior forward Kayla Colbert took the ball baseline, dragged the goalie out and cut it backward to her awaiting teammate. Flores made no mistake and buried the ball with a confident half-volley.

The second goal came five minutes into the second half. Burns had the ball just outside the box and whipped one in toward the back post. Junior forward Izzy Kimberly was there to gobble up the opportunity and slam a header home.

“We love to get right on the inside of the box and get our crosses in from there on the ground. But every so often, you have to test the other team,” Burns said. 

The Trojans were relentless in the crossing department and hungry to get on the end of them. They fought for each other all game with an admirable level of tenacity and grit. 

USC now sits at 27th on the NCAA women’s soccer rankings, with all the potential to make a big run during the postseason. Head Coach Jane Alukonis said she wants her players to stay disciplined and challenge each other whether in the classroom or on the field, mentioning the little details, such as being on time and paying attention. 

“We’ve seen before that when we don’t bring it every single day, it can end up biting us in tournament time,” Alukonis said.

USC will face a star-studded UCLA (15-1-1, 9-0-1) team Nov. 3 for its final match of the regular season. With the game at UCLA’s Wallis Annenberg Stadium, the team can’t expect the same atmosphere from the Berkeley matchup. The Trojans will need to create their own energy, as this is another crucial game in terms of seeding for the NCAA tournament. 

USC will kick off against crosstown rivals UCLA Friday at 7 p.m.