The No. 17 UCLA men’s soccer team (6-3-1, 2-1-0 Pac-12) is only as strong as its midfield unit, and a lot of team faith goes into this position.
Given that midfielders tend to be positioned between their team’s forwards and defenders, many collegiate teams often only have three or four midfielders to match the number of their defenders – keeping things consistent.
However, because the Bruins pride themselves on a highly aggressive midfield unit, they work with five midfielders and only three defenders. Although uneven, according to the players this dynamic is majorly effective.
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With fewer defenders, sophomore, and former defender, Erik Holt plays a defensive role as a midfielder.
“Everyone is very good on midfield – (sophomore Jose Hernandez, sophomore Jackson Yueill and senior Willie Raygoza),” Holt said. “My job is just to tackle and get them the ball and let them win the game.”
The team mantra of this year, according to coach Jorge Salcedo, is to utilize aggression to dominate the game. The Bruins must maintain their aggression throughout the entirety of the game to either regain possession if the ball is lost, or create goal-scoring opportunities when in control of the ball.
Holt says this year’s team strategy has been working.
“Overall as a team – the midfield, defense, forwards – everyone is contributing,” Holt said. “We are playing more as a team again this year.”
“There has been no surprises this year,” Hernandez said. “We knew the potential of the team, and if we execute we know what the end result should and will be. I think it was all just a matter of time.”
Stats wise, the midfield has been far and away the best position group for the Bruins. Three of the top four goal scorers, the top two assist dishers and four of the top five Bruins, in regards to total points, come from the midfield.
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Overall, according to redshirt junior midfielder Brian Iloski, the Bruins “like to play a good brain of soccer.” A style of play that other collegiate teams lack.
“Other teams will just kick the ball long and sit back and try to defend us,” Iloski said.
This team aims to put its primary attention and force into its offensive positions, in an attempt to clutch an early lead, and ideally the victory.
Keep an eye out on the midfield.