I can’t help but feel somewhat saddened whenever I attend
a women’s soccer game. Here is one of UCLA’s best teams
at 17-3 and yet Drake Stadium’s stands are scarce with fans.
There is room for so many more people; Drake seems on the verge of
desolation during these games.
People flood the Rose Bowl and Pauley Pavilion in anticipation
of watching heated football and basketball games. Not that those
crowds are undeserved, but what about soccer?
You know, soccer is a sport too. The world’s most popular
one at that.
And, wow, do we have a women’s soccer team.
Not only have they accumulated numerous accomplishments,
women’s soccer has proved they are not a team centered around
one player. I like to make a comparison between the Bruins and a
professional sports team such as the New York Yankees, as the
Yankees have so much depth and some of the best players in the game
on one team. Except, the Yankees are often at odds with each other
while the Bruins play cohesively.
Although UCLA is loaded with talent across the board, what is
most impressive is they are able to take that depth and create a
team chemistry that makes them successful.
The statistics the team has compiled over the year are
impressive.
They have won the Pac-10 for the fourth-straight year, the first
team in Pac-10 history to do so. This puts them in great position
to succeed in the NCAA Tournament, which they have certainly done
so recently with three-straight NCAA College Cup appearances.
We are witnessing the progress of a powerhouse, especially since
there are only two starting seniors leaving the team.
Goalkeeper Valerie Henderson tied the record for UCLA career
wins as a junior. She’ll be back next year. Enough said.
They are unbeaten in 23 straight matches at home, including
winning all of their home matches this season.
Lauren Cheney is living up to her status as the No. 1 high
school recruit in the nation: She is ranked fourth nationally in
goals scored per game.
Coach Jill Ellis has too many accolades for me to discuss here.
She has established UCLA as one of the most elite programs in the
nation.
And I’m running out of space.
My final point is something not often considered. The
women’s soccer team is doing all of this without one of their
best players: sophomore midfielder Kara Lang. As a freshman, Lang
set UCLA freshman records for goals and assists. She was a
preseason All-American before she even started attending UCLA. She
was the No. 1 high school recruit in the nation in 2004-2005, and
rightfully so, since she holds the world record as the youngest
player to ever score in an international match for Canada.
She is clearly one of UCLA’s greatest offensive weapons,
but she is redshirting the season because of a torn ACL. They have
been without her all season, yet they are 17-3.
Yeah, they’re good.
Women’s soccer will also have the first shot at
UCLA’s coveted 100th national championship with their
postseason starting Friday with a match at home against UNLV, and
the Bruins have the talent and position to earn it.
So keep going to see our football team, our basketball team and
all of the other great athletics we have here, but don’t
forget about soccer.
After all, this might be the team that makes history, and they
deserve all the attention we have to offer.
E-mail Wenzel at awenzel@media.ucla.edu.