W. soccer drops heated match to Gauchos
UCLA’s unbeaten
streak ends at four
as UCSB wins 2-0
By Hye Kwon
Even though they played superbly under a scorching sun, the UCLA
women’s soccer team suffered a 2-0 loss to UC Santa Barbara on
Sunday afternoon.
"This was the best match we’ve played all season," UCLA head
coach Joy Fawcett. "We created a lot of chances, but we just didn’t
finish plays."
The opportunities to score were abundant for the Bruins, as they
out shot the Gauchos 16-9. UCLA, who were ranked ninth in the
western region going into the match, now has a record of 7-3-2.
The first Gaucho goal came at the 37th minute of the match when
midfielder Renee France kicked the ball into the empty net after a
missed save attempt by UCLA goalie Gretchen Overgaard. France’s
goal ended Overgaard’s shut-out streak at four matches.
The start of the second half marked a fierce attempt on the part
of the Bruins to score an equalizer, and their effort was nearly
awarded.
At 50:08, sophomore forward Christine Sanders had the ball five
yards in front of the goal. She made a turn around kick which was
knocked away by the UCSB goalie.
Feeling the need for more offensive fire power, Fawcett put
defender Sue Skenderian, who is usually the last line of defense
for the Bruin defensive, in the middle of the field for better ball
control at the center line.
This strategy backfired on the Bruins at the 85th minute of the
match when UCSB’s Felicia Hayes scored to put the match away for
good.
"We were losing, so it was better than sitting back," Fawcett
said. "We probably were caught off guard but (Hayes) is really
fast."
Even though the fruits of her labor were not properly rewarded,
Skenderian enjoyed her work in the midfielder position.
"I think it’s good to change it up sometimes," Skenderian said.
"I got a couple of assists last year (under similar conditions),
and I was hoping (Fawcett) would do it in this match."
The match was played at the peak of the day as far as the
temperature goes, and at game time, it was well over 90 degrees.
According to Skenderian, the weather was a big factor of the
match.
"Everyone was pretty much tired at the end of the match,
especially with the heat and everything," she said.
This match also featured the strong play of the sophomores Kelly
Robson, Sanders, and Marisol Meinhart, who are often overshadowed
by the team’s fabulous freshmen.
"A lot of our good play (today) was due to our sophomores," UCLA
assistant coach Merry Eyman said. "I thought (Meinhart) played very
well today."
Despite getting off on the wrong foot in this current five-game
home stand, Fawcett still feels confident about this young
team.
"We’re getting better every match," she said. "I’m not
disappointed at this loss at all."