The UCLA women’s soccer team was preparing to face Fresno State at Drake Stadium in the first round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament. As the names of the Bruin starting lineup were announced that cool Friday evening, one name was missing from the roster.
Forward Sydney Leroux, a freshman at the time, was in Chile playing with the U.S. Under-20 National Team in the FIFA U-20 World Cup, eventually earning the Golden Shoe and the Golden Ball as the tournament’s top scorer and top player. UCLA routed Fresno State 5-0 in that match and advanced all the way to the College Cup semifinals before losing to North Carolina 1-0.
A year later, the sophomore striker found herself in her first collegiate playoff game with UCLA trailing 1-0 in the seventh minute against first-round opponent Boise State.
When a cutting Lauren Cheney launched a cross from the right side of the field in the 13th minute, Leroux drilled the shot into the back of the net, equalizing the score.
She racked up another goal just two minutes later, this time from the top of the box.
Leroux went on to score twice more in the game, notching a total of four goals in her postseason debut. With her breakout performance, Leroux became just the fourth player in UCLA history to score four goals in a single match and the second to do so in the playoffs.
But Leroux was quick to credit her teammates for helping her achieve the feat.
“I give all of my thanks to my teammates,” she said after the game. “Cheney gave me two of (the goals). It was my first playoff game so it was really awesome. That first goal that I scored woke us up a little bit.”
Coach Jillian Ellis said that scoring goals is Leroux’s main role on the team.
“She’s a good scorer, she’s found the back of the net and I think that gained her a lot of confidence,” Ellis said of Leroux during practice following the first two playoff rounds. “She scored in different ways, she’s also set people up. I just think her confidence is high and we’re hoping the trend continues.”
Ellis’ prediction manifested into reality as Leroux’s scoring rampage didn’t end in the first round. After UCLA demolished Boise State 7-1, the forward scored two more goals against San Diego State just two days later in the second round, totaling eight goals in postseason play. Leroux led the team with 23 goals on the season.
“Sydney is such an impact player for us, a very flashy player,” senior defender Dea Cook said during a November practice. “She’s really fun to watch, especially me being in the back just being able to kind of see our attacking line work so well together. All I can say is unbelievably impressive ““ her speed and her skill and just her drive to find the goal.”
Freshman midfielder Zakiya Bywaters echoed Cook’s sentiments that Leroux served as an inspiration for the rest of the team.
“I think that’s just amazing for her, and motivational for the team in all,” Bywaters said during the same practice. “If she can score six goals (in one weekend), then anyone of us can score just as many. … We know Sydney’s our player to go to get goals scored.”
On Leroux’s four-goal debut, Ellis only had one comment.
“It was not too shabby,” she said with a laugh.
With reports from Min Kang, Bruin Sports senior staff.