After clinching the Pac-10 title last weekend against Stanford, the UCLA men’s soccer team will take the time to honor their senior players tomorrow at Drake Stadium, but they have no intention of stopping their intense style of play that has allowed them to reach this point.
The No. 22 Bruins (8-4-6, 6-1-2 Pac-10) have played six games without giving up a goal, and hope to continue this streak in their last home game of the regular season against Cal Poly (10-4-5, 5-2-3 Big West).
“I think we’re going to come out with the same attitude,” freshmen midfielder Andy Rose said. “We haven’t conceded in the last six games. The level of excitement is great. It’s great for the seniors, Brad (Rusin), Jason (Leopoldo), Max (Griffin) and all of them.”
Rusin dismissed the idea that the Bruins were looking past a non-conference opponent through to the postseason.
“We want our record to be the best it can be,” Rusin said. “We don’t want to lose in the last game of the year and get our confidence down. It’s still a big game, conference or non-conference.”
Coach Jorge Salcedo views last weekend’s clinching win as a stepping stone towards their ultimate goal of winning the NCAA title.
“Obviously winning the Pac-10 was one of our goals, and we’re very happy to have done it,” Salcedo said. “We’re excited to have wrapped up the conference so early. What that allows us to do is concentrate on the last two games. Now what we’re trying to do is fight for a higher seed in the tournament.”
The success of the team has brought the Bruins back into the national discussion, placing them at No. 22 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll. The Bruins are also the first team to clinch a spot in the playoffs, and will be making their 26th consecutive run at an NCAA title.
Junior goalkeeper Brian Perk’s play has been key to the team’s recent success, which has not lost since their October 12 game in Palo Alto. With seven shut-outs on the season, Perk has the most for a Pac-10 goalie.
“I think he’s been an integral part of it,” Salcedo said. “Sunday, he makes a great save in the first half to help preserve, at that time, the scoreless tie. So all goalkeepers need to make one or two good saves and he’s been doing that these last six games.”
Even with the injuries the team had accrued since the beginning of the season, Salcedo doesn’t plan on changing the lineup before tournament play.
“We don’t want to take our foot off the gas at all,” Salecdo said. “The fact that we have one game this Saturday and one game the following Saturday, it gives us time to recover. I don’t see us resting our team.”