Senior forward Iris Mora has made quite a career scoring goals
at UCLA, ranking in the top 10 in career goals and goals in a
season, and posting one of the most prolific scoring seasons in
Bruin history. Even though her finishing ability makes the
diminutive forward a threat to score whenever she touches the ball,
it has been her ability to set up other players that has been
perhaps even more valuable to the No. 4-ranked Bruins. After
tallying an assist in each of the 3-0 victories over Oregon and
Oregon State, Mora now sits alone atop the UCLA career assist
leaders with 32, passing former Bruin great Traci Arkenberg. The
two assists also moved Mora into sole possession of second place
among the UCLA career points leaders with 90, trailing only
Arkenberg. “I think Iris is one of the best passers
I’ve ever coached,” said coach Jill Ellis. “(Her
goal-scoring ability) is a wonderful talent, but she can also take
the ball and distribute it and get others involved.” Although
her main job description as a forward is to score, Mora seems to
have an uncanny knack for setting up her teammates, rather than
finishing scoring chances herself. “Iris isn’t the type
of player you would think about piling up statistics, but at the
end of the day she’s got them,” Ellis said.
“She’s just a complete player.” On the season,
Mora leads the team with nine assists. It gives the senior three of
the five best season assist totals of all time. She currently holds
the single-season record with 14.
ADAMS DOESN’T STOP: While Mora continues
to pile up the assists, many of them have been setting up sophomore
midfielder Danesha Adams. Adams notched a goal in each victory over
the weekend, giving her a team-leading 12 on the season. Last year
in goals scored, Adams was second to current senior Bristyn Davis.
With Davis having switched from forward to defender, Adams has
filled the role of go-to scorer. “Danesha is right about
where I’d hoped she would be with her ability to break down
defenses,” Ellis said. “What we’ve been waiting
on (in) Danesha is her determine to score and to finish, and
she’s getting there.” Although Ellis is happy with her
progress, she said Adams has the potential to be even more
productive than she already has been. “Danesha’s come
along very well, but she’s got a lot more in her,” she
said.
TOPPING THE CHARTS: Mora has also scored five
goals on the season, the third-best total on the team. She now has
29 goals on her career, tying Lindsay Greco for sixth on the
all-time UCLA list. The Bruins have outscored the Beavers and the
Ducks 21-3 over the past three years. After scoring 12 goals last
season, Adams now has 24 career goals and ranks ninth all-time at
UCLA. Although Mora now ranks second all-time in career points, it
will be difficult to catch current leader Arkenberg, who sits atop
the record books with 169 total points, a difference of 79.