In the final game of the year, USC soccer entered its crosstown rivalry match hoping to finish the season off strong following a largely disappointing season. The Trojans came into the game eliminated from Big Ten Tournament contention, but Friday’s match was still a chance to end on a high note against one of the top-ranked teams in the nation.

Despite a valiant effort, USC (2-10-6, 1-7-4 Big Ten) couldn’t finish off what would have been a noteworthy comeback against No. 14 UCLA (12-4-2, 9-2-1), ultimately falling 3-2 to the Bruins in the final minutes.

The loss concluded a 1-5-3 season at home and on the road, a major setback from last year’s 7-7-3 overall and 5-3-2 at home.

Sold-out Rawlinson Stadium fuels USC 

In a sold-out game, Rawlinson Stadium was pulsing with energy. Even with the Bruins playing just 13 miles from their campus, the Trojans’ home-field advantage was on display, winning the majority of second balls and putting up a strong attacking feat.

In the 15th minute, sophomore midfielder Jaiden Rodriguez nearly scored the game’s first goal from 20 yards out, barely missing the frame. 

Other than that shot, the offense was lackluster from both teams in the first half. Still, the momentum from the crowd and on the field was all USC. 

Still, the Trojans could not convert on their chances and paid the price three minutes into the second half. UCLA junior forward Kara Croone scored off a Trojan error in the 48th minute, opening the scoring line. 

However, UCLA’s scoring didn’t stop there. In the 66th minute, the Bruins were awarded a penalty, which junior defender Paloma Daubert converted to take a 2-0 lead with just under 25 minutes to go.

“What’s important in life is if you know you get knocked down, you get back up, and you keep fighting,” Head Coach Jane Alukonis said in a postgame interview with the Daily Trojan. “That’s all that we’ve been asking of the team.”

Trojans nearly turn things around

An agitated group of Trojans, however, did not let the two-goal deficit affect them. In the 81st minute, junior forward Peyton Nakagawara scored USC’s first goal on a set piece play assisted by graduate midfielder Mary Cochran.

Just five minutes later, Nakagawara scored again in the 86th minute to tie the game at two apiece. The miraculous comeback ignited the crowd.

“I just felt great. The crowd was insane, and the energy was just insane,” Nakagawara said in a postgame interview with the Daily Trojan. “Once I got that first one, I knew we could at least try and tie it. And getting that second one just brought the energy even up even more.” 

With momentum on the Trojans’ side, things looked promising for the first time in a while. But it wouldn’t last long, as USC allowed a costly penalty to UCLA with just two minutes to go in the rivalry match.

Croone converted on the penalty kick inside the box for a 3-2 win, handing the Trojans a heartbreaking loss for the ages.

Despite the loss, Alukonis remained positive looking into the future.

“This team is a very talented team, an incredible team and a young team,” Alukonis said. “[We] will put in the work and make sure they stay focused and clean up the areas, especially defensively, that we need to. But with a little bit of time together, this group will be really incredible.”

With the loss, USC finished the 2026 season with only two wins in 18 games — but with a young core set to return, optimism lies ahead for the Trojans’ next season.