The UCLA women’s soccer team is undefeated no more.
The No. 3 Bruins suffered their first defeat of the season
Friday, a 5-2 loss at the hands of No. 1 North Carolina (9-0-0) in
the Duke/adidas Women’s Soccer Classic in Durham.
The entire weekend wasn’t lost, however, as UCLA (5-1-2)
was able to respond Sunday with a 2-1 victory over No. 9 Duke
(5-2-1).
“I think it was a good weekend for us,” head coach
Jillian Ellis said. “We did well to rebound and win against
Duke.”
The ability to rebound showcases a kind of mental toughness,
something that was undeniably lacking in the latter stages of the
North Carolina match.
After tying the score at two in the game’s 46th minute,
the Bruins suffered a lapse and allowed a goal just 37 seconds
after scoring the equalizer.
Then came an own goal in the 66th minute, followed by North
Carolina’s fifth in the 76th minute.
“I thought we had the better of play for 60 minutes, but
we fell apart psychologically,” Ellis said. “It was
probably our best 60 minutes of soccer all season.
“Psychologically, we just have to be stronger. We have to
play for 90 minutes.”
The Bruins will take some positives from the loss, including the
knowledge that they can play with the No. 1 team in the country, as
well as continued improvement.
Said Ellis: “At this point, we ask ourselves after every
game, “˜Are we getting better?’ I think we
have.”
But the Bruin coach still sees the need to improve
psychologically.
“It’s on the players, because I’m not on the
field,” she said. “At the end of the day, the team has
to find its own strength.”
And as for North Carolina, the team will be back.
“We’ll see them again,” Ellis said. “I
told the team, if they want to win a championship, they have to go
through Carolina.”
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The Bruins received a major personnel boost in Durham, as
sophomore Jill Oakes returned to the lineup.
Oakes, a freshman All-American last year, tore the posterior
cruciate ligament in her left knee during this past season’s
second-round tournament victory over USC.
Two surgeries and ten months later, Oakes was back on the field
for 20 minutes against North Carolina and 70 minutes against
Duke.
“Jill Oakes was probably the biggest upside from the
weekend,” Ellis said.
Ellis also said she had hoped to play Oakes for 20 minutes
against Duke, but the midfielder looked so comfortable that she
played for 70 minutes.
“Psychologically, she was strong,” Ellis said.
“She had a pretty traumatic injury, but she was able to go
hard in the game.”
Fitness is the next obstacle for Oakes, as Ellis believes it
will take three or four matches until the sophomore is “match
fit.”
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After returning from North Carolina, Ellis gave her team three
days off, citing the need for a break.
“When they come in (to UCLA), their only focus is soccer
(because school hasn’t started),” she said.
“They’ve been going at it since the middle of
August.”
Many team members took the time off to visit family.
Senior defender Nandi Pryce flew to Denver to visit her brother,
Denver Broncos defensive tackle Trevor Pryce.
The Broncos defeated the Oakland Raiders 31-10 on Monday Night
Football.
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Junior Lindsay Greco, sophomore Iris Mora and freshman Stephanie
Kron were named to the Duke/adidas Women’s Soccer Classic
All-Tournament team.