Young team gears up for weekend games

With conference play looming, the No. 5 women’s soccer
team (7-2) has been wracked by injuries and some bad bounces
throughout non-conference play.

UCLA has played the entire season without a complete, healthy
roster, playing their first four matches without five key players
who were participating in international competition with the U.S.
Under-20 National Team.

Now, injuries have mounted: The team lost sophomore Kara Lang in
the preseason and senior Mary Castelanelli last Sunday against
Pepperdine to season-ending knee injuries.

The Bruins will be looking to get through their final two
non-conference matches unscathed as they ready themselves for the
always-competitive Pac-10 conference.

UCLA will host the University of San Diego (7-3) tonight at 6
p.m. and Gonzaga (5-4-1) at noon on Sunday. The Bruins hold a
12-1-2 all-time edge over the Toreros from San Diego, but have
never faced the Gonzaga Zags. Both games will be part of
doubleheaders with the men’s team.

“This weekend will be a good test for us,” coach
Jill Ellis said. “These games are very important. It’s
one more weekend before Pac-10s. We rebounded nicely from (a loss
to) Santa Clara with (a win) over Pepperdine. Now the challenge is
just to play well.”

These final non-conference games will be the first matches the
Bruins will play without Castelanelli captaining the defense. A
four-year starter and defensive stalwart, Castelanelli had been a
veteran presence flanked by underclassmen.

Now, UCLA will be forced to rely on an extremely young backline
likely comprised entirely of freshmen or sophomores. Sophomore Erin
Hardy is the most experienced defender remaining, and highly touted
freshmen Lauren Wilmoth and Lauren Switzer have already stepped up
into starting roles early in the season. All three will be counted
on even more to mature rapidly and progress along their respective
learning curves.

“We’ll have to adjust,” Hardy said.
“We’ve been practicing without (Castelanelli) there.
She worked so hard, and everybody looked up to her. All the other
players just have to step up.”

Still, Ellis feels her players are more than talented enough to
fill the void Castelanelli left. It’s just a matter of how
quickly and consistently they will be able to do it.

“We’re deep, we’ve got good players, and
we’ll rebound, but just more emotionally it affects
you,” Ellis said. “It’s just so sad for these
players that can’t play.”

Ellis stressed that focusing on what the team itself can do
““ namely, push the ball forward to create scoring
opportunities, as well as have the young backline playing up to its
capability ““ will be focal points for the Bruins heading into
this weekend’s games.

The matchups will provide a glimpse into the future for UCLA as
more youth will be forced into the lineup.

“(These games) are important. Every game is
important,” said senior captain Bristyn Davis.

“We have a lot of freshmen playing on the field, but
everybody is doing really well and working hard in practice,”
she said. “We’re bringing them along
quickly.”

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