Going through the normal practice schedule at North Athletic Field, the men’s soccer team seems to be well removed from the fires burning throughout Southern California. For some of the area’s natives however, the natural disaster has been felt a little more closely.
“There’s a fire two to three miles from (my family’s) house,” junior Jason Leopoldo said. “So our house has just been raining ashes. The pool is black from ashes … No evacuation, (but it’s) still a pretty big scare.”
Leopoldo, a native of Thousand Oaks, noted that even though he was heading home Wednesday, the fires have not otherwise distracted him from training. His family lives in an area that has not been threatened, making it easier for him to focus on practice.
Teammate Chance Myers, also from Thousand Oaks, has been fortunate to be somewhat removed from the danger zones.
“I know people in and around the area that haven’t had to evacuate their houses but (are) just leaving, getting out of the area because of the air quality,” he said.
The biggest effect that the fires could have for the Bruins’ Friday night game against Oregon State is the presence of a couple extra guests. Due to the situation in San Diego, there is a possibility that San Diego State University’s home game against Washington could be moved to UCLA. The game would be played just before the Bruin’s weekend opener.
While the Bruins closest to the fires have been lucky that their homes are safe, on the field the Bruins’ luck has also taken a turn for the best. After a very rough start, the Bruins are on a three-game winning string that has turned the season around and put them back in the top-25 rankings. No. 24 UCLA (7-5-2, 3-1-1 Pac-10) sits in first place halfway through conference play.
“It’s a reward for the hard work the guys have put in to fight through the hard moments,” coach Jorge Salcedo said. “To have a belief and understanding that we’re gonna get to this point. (Now) we have five games left, three of them at home. We feel very confident about the possibility of winning the next five games.”
A large part of that will be dependent on whether the players can keep up the intensity now that they are leading the way in the standings. Whereas before the Bruins were starting to feel their backs pressed toward the wall, now they are in a position where they’ll be expected to continue to set the pace in the Pac-10.
After Wednesday’s practice, forward David Estrada was a little unsure.
“It was a weird vibe (today). No one was really trying as hard as they could … I just hope we don’t get overconfident because we got two wins on the road. We still have to take care of business at home. Obviously we’ve been doing it the past few games, but sometimes that overconfidence kills a team.”
BRUINS HONORED: Leopoldo and sophomore Kyle Nakazawa both brought home honors for their play up north last weekend. Leopoldo earned Pac-10 Player of the Week for his goal and two assists on the road trip. Leopoldo did not practice Wednesday, nursing a hamstring injury, but is expected to play this weekend. Nakazawa made Soccer America Team of the Week for his outstanding play, which included a last-minute game-winning goal against Washington.