The game’s third goal had no effect on the overall outcome. But it meant a whole lot to the team.
At the time of the score, the UCLA men’s soccer team was already leading 2-0 and was well on its way to a victory over Oregon State at Drake Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The play developed in the 77th minute after an Oregon State foul set up a UCLA free kick from just more than 20 yards away. Junior midfielders Kyle Nakazawa and Michael Stephens stood side by side, contemplating who would attempt the shot.
Following the brief deliberation, Stephens took a stride toward the ball but ran past it. Nakazawa quickly followed behind, utilizing his right foot to strike the ball toward a five-man barrier composed of Oregon State players.
The spinning ball hooked around the wall of defenders and had enough velocity to skip past Beaver goalkeeper Michael Miller’s diving effort. After the ball tucked itself into the net, Nakazawa quickly turned around and ran to the UCLA bench, where he embraced his teammates.
Being back on the field “feels good ““ I was really excited,” Nakazawa said. “Especially to be in the starting lineup. I hadn’t been out there for about five weeks. I’m happiest when I’m playing, so it was a good moment for me getting back.”
The second-half goal put the match out of reach for Oregon State, but, perhaps most importantly, it showed that Nakazawa was back at full strength.
“Kyle is very skillful and knows how to make passes,” coach Jorge Salcedo said. “There is no substitute for being on the field and getting some minutes in games where it can help build your confidence. Some of this comes from practice during the week, but there’s no substitute for games.”
The Bruins seemed to do everything right over the weekend in wins over Washington and Oregon State. Part of that, junior goalkeeper Brian Perk believes, was due to Nakazawa’s presence.
“The addition of “˜Naka’ gives us what we’ve been lacking as a collective whole,” Perk said. “His specific abilities, as everyone knows, are world-class. With him and Stephens playing the way they are, it seems like we’re clicking right now.”
Nakazawa, a Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy preseason nominee, was out four weeks with a back problem before taking the field at Berkeley on Oct. 10. Even though he has not played consistently in quite some time, Nakazawa credits the on-field chemistry he has built with his teammates over the last three seasons for the rhythm his return has created.
“I’ve been here three years and (rhythm is) something that only gets better over time,” Nakazawa said. “The majority of the team are juniors, so I think being able to play with those guys again, they know my strengths and I know their strengths. It’s a lot easier out there.”
A HAIRY SUBJECT: Several freshmen players took the field on Sunday sporting new, shorter haircuts. According to Salcedo, the act builds team chemistry off the field.
“The guys sometimes like to get together and do some things for the freshmen,” Salcedo said. “Whether it’s a haircut or a joke, there’s always something else that brings camaraderie outside of the field.”
Freshman defender Andy Rose, who was one of the players displaying the fresh buzz-cut, seemed to be in favor of the team-building activity.
“We thought it’d be a little bit of fun so a few of us got together,” Rose said with a chuckle. “Now I look a bit ugly, but that’s all right.”
Rose added that he had never had such a short haircut.
“This is the first time, but I’m enjoying it,” Rose said.
CORNERED IN: Though the Oregon State offense managed a staggering 11 corner kick attempts in the second half, the UCLA defense was able to withstand the barrage and hold the Beavers scoreless.
“It was a pretty crazy time,” Rose said. “Both teams made a lot of substitutions at the same time, so that obstructed the flow. But we were comfortable and dealt with them well. We didn’t give up any goals and that’s the main thing.”
AROUND THE PAC-10: With two wins over the weekend, UCLA has moved into a tie for first place in the Pac-10 standings.
“Our goal through five games was to definitely be in first place in the conference,” Salcedo said. “We are tied with Washington, but we beat them, so if the conference were to end today we would win the conference from the head-to-head competition.”
The Bruins have completed half of their conference schedule. Of the remaining five matches against Pac-10 opponents, three will be played on the road. Nonetheless, Perk feels confident in the team’s ability to remain atop the standings.
“Honestly, I’ve got high expectations,” Perk said. “We don’t have our eye on anything, but the next important step is at Washington.”
The Huskies were able to salvage their trip to Southern California with a 2-1 overtime win at San Diego State on Sunday, keeping them tied with the Bruins. After beating the Huskies on Friday, the Bruins now look for a similar result this weekend in Seattle.
“I expected to win (both games last weekend) with the talent on this team,” Perk said. “Now that we’ve got (the wins), we’re all ecstatic here. But (both Washington and UCLA have) 10 points, and we can’t rest because we’ve got a game against them next weekend.”