Westwood, CA — October 4th, 2025
UCLA Men's Rugby opened their fall campaign with a hard-fought 28-27 victory over visiting Indiana University on Saturday, holding on for a narrow win in their first game of the season. The clash at Westwood showcased not only the team's talent but also its youthful promise — the match day squad featured eight freshmen and five sophomores, marking the youngest Bruins lineup in a D1A fixture since Head Coach Harry Bennett took charge.
Despite the inexperience, the Bruins came out firing in the first half, displaying moments of flair and cohesion that highlighted the depth of the program's next generation. Strong attacking phases and flashes of individual brilliance helped UCLA build a 28–10 halftime lead, though the margin could have been larger had it not been for some unforced errors and costly decisions in their own half that invited pressure from the Hoosiers.
"We had some really positive moments of play, but at times we made life harder for ourselves," Coach Bennett reflected after the match. "The effort and intent were there, but we need to be smarter with territory and execution. At times doing the simple things really well gets overlooked and we were tempted by the flashy options instead, which only hurt us when we didn't execute."
Early in the second half, Bennett opted for several tactical substitutions to rotate players and manage minutes across the young roster. However, Indiana came out of the break rejuvenated and determined, steadily clawing their way back into contention. The Bruins spent much of the second period on the defensive side of the ball, forced to absorb sustained pressure from the Hoosiers' forward pack and quick backline attack.
While UCLA struggled to convert on a few key scoring chances late in the game, their defensive grit ultimately proved decisive. The closing stages saw a series of committed tackles and turnover efforts that preserved the lead and sealed the result in front of the home crowd.
"A lot of credit goes to Indiana for their fight — they put us under real pressure," Bennett added. "But I'm proud of how our group dug in defensively and found a way to win. I'm also very proud of our leaders on the day for showing the way and steadying the ship in moments where the game could have spiraled. "
The Bruins will take plenty of learnings from this performance as they continue to develop cohesion and composure. With early signs of potential across the field and depth emerging from their underclassmen, UCLA will look to build on this gritty opening win as the season progresses.
