Cal Poly 13, UCLA 5 UCLA 9,
UCSB 8
By Calley Prezzano
Daily Bruin Contributor
Although this is a rebuilding year, the UCLA women’s club
lacrosse team has exceeded its own expectations. The team closed
the regular season with two great games this past weekend, and will
compete in the playoffs against rival Loyola Marymount on
Saturday.
This weekend, the team lost to Cal Poly San Louis Obispo, 13-5,
but defeated Santa Barbara on Sunday 9-8, leaving the Bruins with a
6-4 record.
The game against undefeated SLO got off to a rough start. One of
the players was hit in the head with a stick and suffered a
concussion, but the referee did not make a call. Although they were
shaken up and ultimately lost the game, as a team the Bruins never
stopped trying.
“They never gave up,” Coach Johanna Williams said.
“They continued to play hard throughout the whole
game.”
“We played tough,” junior Victoria Bohannan agreed.
“We just couldn’t break (Cal Poly’s)
zone.”
Two of the game’s star players were UCLA freshman goalie
Alana Kadden on defense, and junior Alison Lee playing defense and
midfield.
“She really pushed through the whole game,” Williams
said of Lee.
Sunday the team defeated UCSB, playing well offensively but less
than satisfactory on defense.
“We played really well, but we let our guard down,”
Bohannan said.
One of the struggles the Bruins have had to overcome this year
is their youth. While the other top teams in the league have
experienced players, the Bruins graduated eight players last
spring, leaving them with a young squad.
“It’s a completely different team,” senior
Katie Pardee said. “But it’s amazing, we’re doing
really well for a rebuilding year.”
Five of the current starters are rookies; four of them had never
picked up a lacrosse stick before October.
“What they’ve done this year is amazing,”
Williams said. “The (few) older players have completely
stepped up.”
Not only is the team young, but Coach Williams, who graduated
from UCLA last year, is also in her first as a coach. Although
there were doubts about having a young, former teammate as coach,
according to the players, Williams’ previous experience with
the team has only helped.
“In my four years of playing, I think she’s the best
coach we’ve ever had,” Pardee said.
The team will have more time to improve over the next few
seasons. Only two starters are graduating, and Williams will most
likely be back to coach.
This Saturday, UCLA will get one last crack at the Loyola
Marymount Lions, who have beaten them twice this season. If the
Bruins win, they will go on to the Final Four championships.
“We’re a really good team,” said junior Sharon
Covitt. “We should be able to take them.”
The Bruins lost in overtime in their first two games against the
Lions by scores of 9-8 and 6-5.
“Everyone’s really excited to play LMU,”
Pardee said. “We know we can beat them. We want revenge
really bad.”
Both players and coach agree that they need to focus on the
basics. “We’re not using any new tricks,”
Williams said. “We’re concentrating on making our old
stuff work.”
“We have all of our skills, and everyone knows our
plays,” Pardee added. “We need to get fired up ““
this could be it.”
The game starts at 11 a.m. at Loyola Marymount.