The UCLA men’s soccer team hasn’t wasted any time
testing its new lineup against the best competition the country has
to offer. Only in their first week of practice, the No. 9-ranked
Bruins flew to Fort Wayne, Ind., to take on defending national
champions and currently No. 1-ranked Indiana Hoosiers in an
exhibition game in the IPFW Soccer Showcase on Friday and fought
them to a 1-1 tie before a standing-room-only crowd of 6,641 fans
at Hefner Field. After falling behind in the first half when
Hoosier freshman forward Kevin Noschang beat UCLA goalkeeper Nate
Pena with a shot to his left, UCLA battled back in the second half.
Sophomore defender Marvell Wynne’s throw-in from the sideline
was met with a strong header by senior defender/midfielder Ryan
Valdez, and the Bruins tied the game right at the 71-minute mark.
While the Bruins were outshot 8-3 in the second half and 14-8 for
the game, the Bruins were able to hold off the Indiana attack
behind the spectacular play of junior goalkeeper Eric Reed, who
made six saves in the second half. Goalkeepers Pena and Reed both
split time, playing one half each in Friday’s game. Pena, a
senior, allowed a goal in the first half and didn’t have too
many other opportunities. While Reed got the bulk of the playing
time for UCLA last year, both played for different teams in the
Premier Development League this summer, and Pena was recognized as
the PDL goalkeeper of the year. Pena recorded 13 wins and seven
shutouts in leading the Orange County Blue Star to a 15-1 record
and a regular season title, while Reed had five shutouts for the
Southern California Seahorses, which also made the PDL playoffs.
UCLA’s first regular-season game takes place on Sept. 2 at
Cal State Fullerton.
FRESHMEN REPORT: Five of UCLA’s six true freshmen saw
action in Friday’s game. Maxwell Griffin, Jason Leopoldo,
Brad Rusin and Sal Zizzo all started the game, while Sean Alvarado
came in as a substitute. Griffin and Michael Meschures are the
second siblings in their families to don a Bruin uniform.
Griffin’s brother Leonard was an All-American defender at
UCLA from 2000-2003 and is a current player for Major League
Soccer’s Chicago Fire. Meschures’ brother Eli is a
junior midfielder, and his other brother, Harry, is the team
manager. “It may be hard to believe, but Maxwell is more
technically sound than his brother Leonard was,” UCLA coach
Jorge Salcedo commented earlier this year. “Michael, like his
brother Eli, is a fierce competitor and is a feisty
defender.” Zizzo and Leopoldo, meanwhile, helped the U.S.
under-18 national team win the Milk Cup this summer, and both
provide immediate depth at the forward position. “Leopoldo
and Zizzo, with their national team experience and with their great
quickness and speed, will help our depth in the attack,”
Salcedo said. Salcedo also is looking for big things from defenders
Alvarado and Rusin. “Both Sean and Brad possess a physical
presence that will help us in our defense,” Salcedo said.
“Brad could become one of the most dominant players in the
air that we’ve seen at UCLA in a long time.”