The third time, in this case, is not the charm. In fact, it
might just be the curse.
What else can explain how the Stanford men’s soccer team,
coming off two consecutive trips to the College Cup, is groveling
at the bottom of the Pac-10?
“Their record doesn’t matter if they can recover and
if they can finish strong,” UCLA coach Tom Fitzgerald
said.
That might be, but the Cardinal is clearly not playing up to its
standard in a sport in which it is a perennial powerhouse.
This year, Stanford is hardly noticeable on the Pac-10 radar,
much less the national scene.
Before this season, coach Bret Simon compiled a 37-7-3 record in
two years. Currently, the Cardinal stands at a measly 2-8-2 overall
record and 0-3 in the Pac-10, trailed only by conference newcomer
Fresno State.
“I think they’re very good. Certainly the best 2-8
team in awhile,” UCLA senior defender Tony Lawson said.
“Soccer’s a funny game. One chance can totally kill
your day.”
Chances have certainly played a significant role in
Stanford’s season so far, especially in conference matches.
Two of the Cardinal’s three Pac-10 matches have resulted in
1-0 losses, one to Oregon State and the other to No. 8
Washington.
Although Stanford only shot twice against the Beavers, they did
outshoot the Huskies 14-8.
Currently, junior forward Matt Janusz leads the team in scoring
with three goals. In comparison, UCLA’s leading scorer,
senior forward Matt Taylor, has netted 10 goals this season.
One source of Stanford’s current status can be attributed
to the loss of six seniors from last year’s team. Two-time
All-American forward and leading Stanford scorer Roger Levesque,
along with All-American defender Todd Dunivant, played their last
seasons on the Farm in 2002. Together, the pair was responsible for
42 points last year.
Goalkeeper Andrew Terris, midfielder Johanes Maliza and
defenders Taylor Graham and Taylor Ahlgren graduated as well.
“We’re playing as many as four or five freshmen at
once,” Stanford coach Bret Simon said. “(Our record) is
to be expected when everyone’s out to beat you, and your guys
aren’t ready for that intensity.
“We’re trying very hard to improve and be able to
come out and compete against teams like UCLA.”
Stanford’s schedule certainly has not helped its quest to
re-establish its place in the conference and the nation.
“They have the toughest schedule in the country,”
Fitzgerald said. “We know what kind of team they are.
They’re better than their record shows.”
To determine post-season contenders, the NCAA uses the Ratings
Percentage Index (RPI), a statistic that takes into account
win-loss records as well as schedule difficulty. If Stanford turns
its season around soon, there might be a glimmer of hope for the
end of the year.
But looking toward this weekend, both UCLA and Stanford are not
underestimating each other’s abilities.
“They’re still Stanford, they were with us last year
all the way,” Lawson said. “Once the ball gets out
there, and you start playing, things can change pretty
fast.”