Backup senior goalie Nate Pena will not be available for the
remainder of the season due to an injury he sustained in warm-ups
before the match against UC Santa Barbara two weeks ago. Pena had
been a quality second option to junior Eric Reed throughout the
season, but the abrupt end to his year has been the latest
misfortune in a series of tough breaks. It’s hard to believe
in retrospect, but when the UCLA men’s soccer team started
this season there was a lingering uncertainty as to who would step
up and start between the goal posts. With the No. 7 Bruins having
just finished their last regular-season home game on Sunday against
Washington, setting a Pac-10 record for going the entire season
without allowing a goal at home, there is no doubt that Reed
deserved the role. Reed and Pena had been vying for the starting
position since the onset of preseason play, as they came off a
spirited competition at the end of last season. During
regular-season play, Reed has proven to be stalwart in front of the
net, making coach Jorge Salcedo look brilliant for tabbing him as
the starter. The decision to start Reed has produced 10 shutouts so
far this year. However, Reed was not Salcedo’s first choice.
In the Bruins’ first game of the season, against Santa Clara,
Pena started and allowed two goals in 90 minutes of playing time.
In the next game, Reed took Pena’s position and helped the
Bruins record their first shutout of the season with a 4-0 upset
over then-second-ranked Maryland. Since then, Reed has started in
all games but one and has found himself atop the nation in
goals-against average with a mark of .23, well below the previous
Bruin record of .52 set in 2003 by Zach Wells. “Nate is a
very good goalkeeper,” Salcedo said. “He’s
someone who’s had very limited playing time this year, and
(the injury) does impact our team because he is someone who has
been very good for us.” With Pena out, redshirt freshman Eric
Conner moves into the backup position. “We have confidence in
Eric, that if he is called upon he can come in and do the job that
is needed,” Salcedo said. Pena’s injury closes out his
UCLA career after a senior year marked by that which could have
been.
ANOTHER INJURY UPDATE: After being taken out of
Sunday’s game against Washington, sophomore defender Marvell
Wynne is expected to return to the field this weekend against
Stanford and Cal, but the Bruins are not going to take any risks.
“I shouldn’t be out for too long,” Wynne said.
“I should be practicing a little bit tomorrow, jogging,
moving a little bit, and we’ll see how much I can play come
Friday. But right now we’re not trying to take any chances,
so I can come back.” Salcedo is optimistic for the return of
his starting defender and hopes he can return for this
weekend’s trip to the Bay area, during which the Bruins have
a chance to clinch the Pac-10. “He’s going to rest up
for a couple of days and get himself ready for the two big games in
the Bay Area,” Salcedo said.
MORE HONORS: Along with Reed, two other Bruins
were given recognition for their performances over the weekend.
Wynne was also recognized for his defensive efforts in the two
shutouts, being selected to the Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week.
Sophomore forward Kamani Hill received the Pac-10 Player of the
Week award for his two-goal weekend. Both goals were game-winning,
and they helped put the Bruins back at the top of the Pac-10 before
their trip to Northern California. Hill was also named the
UCLA/MET-Rx Student-Athlete of the Week for his play.