In retrospect, it has been a season worthy of the “underdog” label, the staggering losses coming by more often than the Bruins are traditionally accustomed to.
But none of that will matter beginning Thursday, when the unseeded UCLA women’s soccer team (12-7-1) enters the 64-team postseason scramble by hosting Brigham Young University (16-3-2).
Yet considering the shades of excellence the Bruins have flashed throughout the course of the regular season, pity may in fact be unwarranted.
“The role of the underdog is a good one,” coach Jillian Ellis said. “I like it when we play with a chip on our shoulder. I like this team when its back is up against the wall because we’ve responded every time.”
UCLA’s postseason circumstances are certainly a far cry from that of last season, when the Bruins entered the tournament as one of four No. 1 seeds favored to advance to the College Cup. This time around, an unseeded Bruin team plays in a bracket that features the winner of the UCLA–BYU pairing squaring off against the winner of the match between No. 4 Central Florida (14-4-3) and Fresno State (9-8-5), to be held at Drake Stadium.
That the first playoff game takes place as soon as Thursday may appear to be an issue in terms of preparation, but not so, according to junior forward Sydney Leroux.
“I’m happy that it’s so close,” she said. “We know what we need to do. We know what our game plan is, and that’s what we’re going to stick to.”
Should UCLA advance past the first two rounds, they would be headed on a collision course with No. 1-seed Stanford (18-0-2), provided the Cardinal also win its first two games. The rivalry-laden match up would feature two teams that faced off on Oct. 10, with Stanford having come away with a 2-0 victory.
For now, however, one thing is certain.
“We know what this team is capable of,” redshirt junior goalkeeper Chante’ Sandiford said. “We’ve shown throughout the season that we are all on the same page.”
“In the past seven years, we’ve made it to the (College Cup) being at the top, and this time we’re not but maybe we just need to take a different path,” Leroux said. “We look forward to being the underdogs.”
Indeed, if the season record isn’t as glamorous as in years past, the trademark confidence evidently is.