No matter what obstacles the UCLA women’s soccer team must
overcome in defense of its Pac-10 championship, every player and
coach agrees on one thing.
They’re ready.
The eighth-ranked Bruins, who open conference play tonight at
home against Oregon State, have already tested themselves against
some of college soccer’s best teams. They amassed a 3-1
record against ranked teams, losing only on the road at
sixth-ranked Virginia.
“We played a really difficult non-conference schedule, the
second-toughest in the country,” coach Jill Ellis said.
“Games against Texas A&M, Virginia, Santa Clara and
Pepperdine are really going to help us down the stretch in the
Pac-10.”
UCLA (7-3) did not just play some of the top squads in the
nation, but it was also successful against them. Ravaged by injury
and graduation, the Bruins still registered a sweep in the state of
Texas against Southern Methodist and Texas A&M, and scratched
out an emotional double overtime victory at home against Santa
Clara last Sunday.
The players agree with Ellis that the tough non-conference
matchups will only help the Bruins as they look to repeat as Pac-10
champs. Also expected to be in the running for the conference crown
are a trio of ranked Pac-10 teams, No. 4 Washington, No. 11 Cal and
No. 16 Stanford.
“The preparation we did in preseason is really going to
pay off come Pac-10 time,” senior forward Kim Devine said.
“It’s where we really put our focus, and it’s
important we take home a title.”
Of course with a formidable conference schedule just ahead, UCLA
must step up its play. Though the Bruins played their best match of
the season Sunday at Santa Clara, they have lost a pair of games
against unranked teams they probably should have defeated on the
road at Maryland and at home against Utah.
They cannot afford any letdowns in conference play, no matter
who the opponent is.
“Across the board, the Pac-10 is one of the toughest
conferences in the country,” Devine said. “Every game
we come to, we have to be prepared. Every year it’s always a
battle, but we’re trying to focus even more every day to take
home the title.”
The Bruins, who were selected as the preseason favorites in
August by the Pac-10 coaches, feature a talented but inexperienced
lineup anchored by midfielder Jill Oakes. Forwards Bristyn Davis
and Iris Mora have been UCLA’s most potent goal scorers,
while seniors Kendal Billingsley and Amy Fazio are the core of the
Bruin defense.
This weekend’s match-ups with Oregon State (6-5) and
Oregon (3-6-1) will be UCLA’s first tests of the season in
conference play. Both games look very winnable. The Bruins swept
the Beavers and Ducks on the road last year, and likely will need
to do so again in order to keep pace with their chief rivals for
the conference crown this year.
“We can’t let in silly goals,” Devine said.
“In the preseason we had a few fluky goals and it’s
important that we tighten up.”
One advantage UCLA figures to have is that no one in the
conference will be able to successfully scout the Bruins.
Ellis has utilized 10 different starting lineups in the
team’s first 10 games. Each week, inexperienced players have
been inserted into the lineup, sometimes against some of the
nation’s top teams, and in most cases they have performed
well.
“There’s no guarantee what team we’ll put on
the field,” Ellis said. “There’s tape on us, but
nobody knows who we’re going to play.”
But the biggest advantage UCLA has over its Pac-10 rivals seems
to be its strength of schedule. No team ““ not Stanford, Cal
or even Washington ““ has played the caliber of competition
the Bruins have.
So will they accomplish their goal? Will they celebrate another
Pac-10 title next month?
“We definitely have a chance,” sophomore defender
Mary Castelanelli said. “It seems like almost every year we
do.”
“We’ve hit every scenario,” Ellis said.
“We’ve lost. We’ve come from behind and won.
We’ve tied. Now we’re tested.”
And beginning this weekend against the Oregon schools, Ellis
expects that to pay off.
With reports from Jeff Eisenberg, Bruin Sports Senior
Staff.