After having coach Jill Ellis ejected from UCLA’s NCAA
second-round match against Colorado, one could have understood if
the top-seeded Bruins became a little rattled or shaken on Sunday.
But these Bruins proved on Sunday they are as strong mentally as a
team can be on the soccer field. Even though Ellis received a red
card during the 25th minute (she will not be allowed on the
sideline for Saturday’s match against Marquette), UCLA
didn’t skip a beat. Assistant head coach Joe Mallia and
assistant coach Mark Carr took over and guided the Bruins for the
rest of the match as UCLA cruised to a 3-0 victory.
“Jill’s prepared the players all year long. They knew
what they had to do,” Mallia said. “(The players)
stepped up, and they played well.” The players were indeed
well-prepared Sunday to face the Buffaloes. Ellis’ red card
seemed to forge the team’s will to win as they extended a
slim one-goal lead into a comfortable three-goal cushion.
“The kids responded in the right way,” Carr said.
“You look to your senior class, to Iris (Mora) and Jill
Oakes, and you just say “˜You need to help us through
this.’ You look to them to try to lead the team.” Mora
and Oakes, the only two senior starters for the Bruins,
demonstrated their leadership by not letting the red card be a
distraction and keeping the team focused on the task at hand.
“We just kind of came together (as a team),” said
Oakes, who serves as team captain. “We’re the ones out
there on the field, not Jill, so we can’t be rattled when
that happens.” “We know (Jill’s) behind
us,” said Mora. “We know she’s going to support
us, and we’re going to support her. (The card) didn’t
hurt us.”
PAC-10 HONORS: The Pac-10 released its All-Conference teams last
week, and the list had a distinct UCLA flavor. Eight Bruins in
total were named All-Pac-10. Senior defender Oakes, sophomore
goalkeeper Valerie Henderson, and sophomore midfielder Danesha
Adams were all selected to the first team. Senior forward Mora was
named to the second team. Junior defender Mary Castelanelli and
freshmen forwards Christina DiMartino and Kara Lang were named as
honorable mentions. DiMartino, Lang, and defender Erin Hardy were
selected to the first-ever All-Freshman team. Oakes and Mora became
the first Bruins ever to be named all-conference four times.
Arizona’s Mallory Miller was named Player of the Year, and
USC’s Amy Rodriguez was named Freshman of the Year.
Cal’s Kevin Boyd was named Coach of the Year.
EXTRA KICKS: UCLA had to wait a bit on Sunday to find out their
third round opponent. Marquette and Wisconsin-Milwaukee had their
second-round match delayed six hours because of heavy winds.
Marquette prevailed 1-0, and will travel to UCLA to face the Bruins
this Saturday … The Bruins won the Pac-10 with a 7-0-2 record,
but were shut out of the major national team awards.