Most of the recognizable faces from the UCLA men’s soccer team were gone by the end of Wednesday’s practice. Instead, the final scrimmage was played out largely by those hungry for more playing time and eager to make an impression on their coach.
“There’s a method behind what we do, how we have some guys recover and help other guys prepare,” said coach Jorge Salcedo. “Some guys are disappointed that they didn’t get to play more (over the last two games) so they want to show that they should be playing, so sometimes you see a little added intensity in these practices.”
Games are starting to come thick and fast for No. 4 UCLA; the Bruins are in the middle of a difficult stretch that has them playing four games over the course of just 10 days.
As if four games in 10 days weren’t hard enough, the two matches played so far in that stretch both went into double overtime. Needless to say, some players need rest. But as Salcedo pointed out, some players want rest to be the last thing on their minds.
One of those players is senior forward Reed Williams, who was quite active during Wednesday’s scrimmage.
“It’s about competition. The coaches are looking just at the guys who are looking to fill the starter’s shoes, so it’s a chance to prove yourself because all eyes are on you,” Williams said. “These are good days. … It gets a little nitpicky with a lot of fouls, but it’s good, it shows people want to play.”
Williams’ effort did not go unnoticed on Wednesday, as Salcedo praised the example set by the senior.
“Reed Williams continues to work hard, he keeps pushing in training. … He scored goals today in practice, which to me is always a good sign going into the game on Friday,” Salcedo said.
Freshman forward Gage Zerboni scored his first collegiate goal in the 1-1 tie against Oregon State this past Friday. The goal, which came in the 88th minute, rescued the Bruins from what would have been a difficult defeat.
“I was happy that I got the goal, but I was happier that we were able to tie the game and not lose the game,” Zerboni said. “Everybody dreams of scoring their first college goal – it was a cool moment considering how exciting it was.”
Zerboni credits the team’s group of veteran forwards for helping him become accustomed to the college game.
“The biggest thing I learned from them is the speed of play, having your first touch be your best touch and leading where you want to go with that touch,” Zerboni said. “It’s an honor to play with them; you’re always getting better playing with players that are that good.”