UCLA women’s soccer saw two streaks end this past weekend. The team’s six-game win streak bit the dust after a thrilling 1-1 tie with Cal. Then the 3-2 double overtime loss to Stanford snapped the unbeaten stretch.
[Related: Women’s soccer falls to Stanford in double overtime]
“You play two overtime games and it can go either way,” said coach Amanda Cromwell. “We were unlucky not to get a win.”
No. 14 UCLA (9-3-1, 3-1-1) now prepares to face-off with unranked Arizona (6-6-1, 1-4-0) on Thursday night.
On paper, the Bruins are the heavy favorites. The Wildcats have not found their footing since starting Pac-12 play and have racked up losses in five of their last six matches.
For UCLA, the game is an opportunity to move forward after two tough results.
“We need to take what we learned from (the Cal and Stanford games) and use it as motivation,” said senior midfielder Annie Alvarado.
One of those things they learned was that defensive lapses can be costly, and they know Arizona has the weapons to threaten the back line should an opening present itself.
Junior midfielder Gabi Stoian has two goals and two assists in the Wildcats’ last three games.
Arizona also has a signature asset – long throws.
“They have extremely long throw-ins,” Cromwell said. “They have flip throwers on each side of the field, so that creates chaos in the box. We have to be better about clearing it and heading the ball out.”
That’s not all. The Wildcats, historically, do not spend the whole game in a straight-up defensive scheme. Instead of players being responsible for covering certain lanes and spaces, they man-mark.
San Diego used the same tactic back in early September, as did Arizona State to a lesser extent, and successfully frustrated UCLA’s front line for extended stretches.
[Related: UCLA women’s soccer pushes past unranked USD in 3-1 victory]
A man-marking defense, however, can be opened up.
“Hopefully, we’ll be able to pull them around the field and create opportunities that way,” Cromwell said.
One question lingers, however. Arizona could play more expansively, like they would against a lesser team, or they could bunker in and play for the counter like Cal and Oregon State did earlier in the year.
“I think Arizona is going to play straight up. If they do, advantage (is on) us,” Alvarado said. “If they don’t, then we have to figure out ways to break them down. That’s finding the next pass instead of looking for the outside shot.”