For someone who had already beaten USC 11 consecutive times
going into Saturday’s crosstown dual meet, Jeanette Bolden,
UCLA’s longtime women’s track and field coach,
certainly savored her latest win more than usual.
First she exchanged handshakes with all of the members of her
staff. Then she honored every Bruin individually at a post-meet
team meeting. And finally she led a rowdy celebration on the
infield at USC’s Loker Stadium after UCLA’s emphatic
85-78 victory.
“This one was a little extra special,” Bolden said.
“You and I both know who was favored here. Without a doubt,
USC was supposed to take us down this year. I’m just so proud
of our girls that they didn’t let it happen.”
Indeed this was supposed to be the year the UCLA women finally
relinquished their 13-year stranglehold on the rivalry and conceded
victory to Ron Allice’s Trojans, but the fifth-ranked Bruins
simply refused to comply.
Seniors Candice Baucham, Jessica Cosby and Monique Henderson,
three of the stars of UCLA’s national championship team a
year ago, combined to win five events, putting the Bruins in
position to clinch the victory with a single point in the 1500
meters, the second-to-last event of the day.
“The people who always pull through for us did it
again,” pole vaulter Chelsea Johnson said. “It feels
good to have those girls surrounding you in meets. I have more
faith in them than I have in myself.”
To overcome ninth-ranked USC’s collection of
national-caliber sprinters, hurdlers and middle-distance runners,
UCLA needed that type of vintage performance from its team
leaders.
USC, for one of the few times in the 22-year history of the
rivalry, boasted more depth than the Bruins, especially on the
track. So instead UCLA drew up a new blueprint for victory,
overwhelming the Trojans with its star power.
Johnson, the defending NCAA champion in the pole vault, got the
Bruins off to a good start, easily taking first place with a
meet-record clearance of 14 feet, 1.25 inches. Cosby helped UCLA
build its lead, unleashing a lifetime-best 57-foot, 10.25-inch
throw to lead a sweep in the shot put. Baucham moved the Bruins
even closer to clinching the victory with a pair of decisive
victories in the long jump (21-5) and the triple jump (44-6).
And on the track, Henderson, possibly UCLA’s most
accomplished athlete, more than held her own. First she ran the
fastest 400 meters in the world so far this year, outclassing an
overmatched field in a blistering 50.91 seconds. Then she
overpowered a strong contingent of Trojans in the 200 meters,
blowing past USC All-American Virginia Powell in the second half of
the race to take first place in a season-best 22.86 seconds and
propel UCLA to within a single point of securing the victory.
“It was so wonderful and beautiful to see the team respond
to a situation like this,” Henderson said. “They always
say seniors lead the team, and I think we all lead the team in so
many ways. We went out there, set the example, and showed all of
the girls how serious we were.”
That sense of purpose soon gave way to a jubilant
celebration.
By the time freshman Olga Aulet-Leon clinched the win, crossing
the finish line second in the 1500 meters, most of the Bruins had
already begun taking pictures, hugging and laughing together on the
infield.
“I’m overwhelmed,” Baucham said. “I was
a little worried coming in, but I had faith in my team. We really
came together and performed.”
Added jumps coach Robert Johnson, “This win is pretty
sweet.”
Henderson, who like all of the Bruins has never lost to USC, had
no trouble ranking this victory in comparison to all the
others.
“I think this one is extra special for so many
reasons,” she said. “It’s my last one, we were
the underdog, and we pulled it out pretty early in the meet. This
is definitely the most memorable and most important of my
career.”