Men’s soccer gets two essential games

It might have taken 13 matches, but it looks like the UCLA men’s soccer team has finally found its collective rhythm. With conference play quickly picking up, UCLA (5-4-5, 3-1-1 Pac-10) couldn’t have picked a better time.

This weekend’s results, beginning with UCLA’s 2-0 victory over No. 23 Washington (8-4-1, 3-1-1 Pac-10) at Drake Stadium on Friday night, is proof that the team is beginning to excel in every aspect of the game. The Bruins’ stellar play continued on Sunday afternoon, as UCLA defeated Oregon State (4-7-3, 1-3-1 Pac-10), 3-0.

“It was two must-win games, and guys came through,” coach Jorge Salcedo said. “They should be proud of their effort; they should be proud of their execution.”

The Bruins went into Friday’s game looking to knock off then-Pac-10-leader Washington. The team responded by scoring two first-half goals. Senior midfielder Jason Leopoldo scored the game’s first goal, after being on the receiving end of a fancy give-and-go from junior forward David Estrada inside the box. The Bruins doubled their lead only eight minutes later, when freshman forward Prince Lapnet’s header found the back of the net. The two goals proved to be more than enough for junior goalkeeper Brian Perk, who saw his third shutout of the season.

Although getting on the scoreboard first has become a priority for Salcedo, he emphasized that a change in the defensive formation played an integral role in the team’s success.

“One of the things we changed late in the week was to play with two defensive midfielders,” Salcedo said. “We generally play with a defensive midfielder and an attacking midfielder, but we changed it up prior to Friday’s game thinking that winning the midfield would be a big deal for us.”

The combination of junior defensive midfielders Luis Serrano and Danny Suits proved to be just what the Bruin defense needed, holding the Huskies to only six shots.

“We moved Danny back there and really, I think that’s what sewed it up back there,” Perk said. “The two (defenders) kind of feed off of the two in the center. We’re all starting to click, and I think it was only a matter of time. I expected us to play like this and I think we’re all getting a feel for each other.”

Salcedo employed the same technique in Sunday’s match against Oregon State. The formation worked well once again, as the Bruin defense and goalkeepers Perk and redshirt freshman Brian Rowe held the Beavers scoreless.

“I thought (the formation) won us the game,” Salcedo said. “That just gave us a different feel for our team defensively. I like that option. … We know that we need to buckle down, really defend well as a team, and put guys in spots where they’ll be comfortable.”

The Bruins looked comfortable offensively as well, scoring three goals on 10 shots on Sunday.

Like they did on Friday, UCLA broke a scoreless tie in the 18th minute of the match.

After receiving a pass from junior midfielder Kyle Nakazawa near the box, junior midfielder Michael Stephens put a soft touch on the ball to send a floater over Oregon State goalie Mike Miller. The goal, Stephens’ seventh of the season, gave him sole possession for the team-lead in goals scored.

In the 42nd minute, Lapnet scored his second goal of the weekend, depositing a rebound shot to the bottom right corner of the net. The goal gave the Bruins a 2-0 lead heading into halftime.

Nakazawa added a goal, his first of the season, in the 77th minute to put the game out of reach for the Beavers.

Going into the weekend, the Bruins knew they would need to emerge victorious to stay near the top of the Pac-10 standings.

After winning both games, Nakazawa feels optimistic about goals the team set for itself.

“It’s for sure a big relief for us,” Nakazawa said. “We struggled at the beginning of the season, so we kind of put a goal for us to win the Pac-10 and turn our season around. So what we did this weekend is a good start for that.”

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