Second-half defensive breakdown spells defeat for Huskies

Washington (2-2, 0-1 Pac-10) used a bend-but-don't-break defense to keep up with UCLA (3-1, 2-0 Pac-10) in the first half of Saturday's Pac-10 opener, but had another second half meltdown and ultimately fell to the Bruins 44-31.

Despite being out, gained 537 to 340 yards in the total offense department, the Huskies still were able to cut UCLA's lead to seven on two occasions in the fourth quarter. Nevertheless, each time Huskies made a cry for victory, the Bruins had an answer.

After UCLA running back Khalil Bell capped a 17 - play UCLA drive with an eight-yard touchdown run to open the second half, both teams' offense remained stalled for the majority of the third quarter.

Then the Bruins scored with their defense. With 1:31 remaining in the third, UCLA defensive back Dennis Keyes intercepted Jake Locker's pass and took it 60 yards to the end zone, giving UCLA a 24-10 lead.

Locker once more struggled with his passing game; completing only 17 of 36 passes for 216 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. But his efforts at the least did give UW a shot in the fourth quarter.

Husky linebacker Dan Howell picked off UCLA backup quarterback Patrick Cowan's pass deep in Bruin territory early in the fourth to set up a 20 - yard touchdown pass from Locker to Anthony Russo, cutting the UCLA lead to 24-17.

Cowan, starting in place of the injured Ben Olson, sprained his knee on Howell's interception return and was replaced by third stringer McLeod Bethel-Thompson on the ensuing drive.

Four plays and a 72 - yard touchdown run by senior tailback Chris Markey let the Bruins back up by two scores.

Locker wasn't done though. The red-shirt freshman once again hooked up with Russo, this time on a 63-yard pass that cut the Bruin lead to 31-24.

But it just wasn't the Dawgs' day. Matt Slater returned the ensuing kickoff for 85 yards to pay dirt and extend UCLA's lead to 38-24 with 9:33 remaining.

The Huskies' next drive stalled, and Kai Forbath's field goal with 5:35 left in the game sewed up the UCLA victory.

Markey finished the game with 193 yards rushing on 14 carries, and Bell rushed 27 times for 109 yards. Cowan was 17-30 through the air for 147 yards and a touchdown.

Washington's ground game once again lived and died through the legs of Locker. The UW quarterback ran for 92 yards on the day, but that was just about all the Huskies were able to muster on the ground. Louis Rankin was once again ineffective, carrying the ball 14 times for only 44 yards.

Locker also tossed a four-yard TD pass to Marcel Reece in the first half, and tacked on a meaningless 11 - yard throwing score to Corey Williams after the game had already been decided.

The Huskies play host to top ranked USC next week.

[HTML_REMOVED]Reach reporter Christian Caple at sports@thedaily.washington.edu.[HTML_REMOVED]