Through four NCAA Tournament matches, the UCLA women’s
soccer team has not allowed a goal. Posting a fifth straight
shutout Friday afternoon against seventh-seeded Princeton will
likely depend on whether the Bruins are able to hold senior forward
Esmeralda Negron in check. Negron, Princeton’s all-time
leading scorer, has tallied 20 goals and 12 assists so far this
season. She posted a goal and an assist in the Tigers’ 3-1
quarterfinal victory over Washington last weekend.
“She’s a tremendous player,” UCLA coach Jill
Ellis said. “We’re going to have our hands full.”
In UCLA’s quarterfinal match against Ohio State, Ellis was
able to shut down the Buckeyes’ offensive catalyst, attacking
midfielder Laura Dickenmann, by having midfielder Jill Oakes shadow
her all over the field. That won’t be an option with Negron
because she plays up top for the Tigers. Rather than move Oakes out
of her position to mark Negron, Ellis said she was content allowing
her backline to contend with the multi-talented Princeton attacker.
Oakes, too, said she preferred to remain in the midfield, and said
she believed her teammates were up to the challenge. “I have
full confidence in our backline to take care of whatever is thrown
at them,” she said. So far UCLA’s defense has sparkled
in the playoffs. Sophomore Mary Castelanelli’s return to the
lineup this past month has had a stabilizing effect on the unit,
which has not allowed a goal since the second half of the
Bruins’ regular-season finale at USC. “Our back four
has been playing amazing,” forward Bristyn Davis said.
“Each of them putting in the sort of effort they have takes
the pressure off our forwards and makes us want to step up even
more.”
FIRST TIMERS: Though UCLA is making its third
trip to the College Cup in the past five years, Princeton has never
advanced this far before. The Tigers (19-2-3) had never gotten past
the second round before this season. “Here at Princeton,
getting to the Final Four is not something that happens every
day,” said coach Julie Shackleford, a close friend and
college teammate of Ellis. “It’s that Ivy League
philosophy. Our men’s soccer team made it once, but it
doesn’t happen very often.”
QUICK KICKS: UCLA softball coach Sue Enquist
delivered a motivational speech after practice Tuesday. Last year,
Lance Armstrong left a motivational phone message for the team
before its Final Four match against North Carolina. … U.S.
Women’s National Team coach April Heinrich, Ellis’ and
Shackford’s collegiate coach at The College of William &
Mary, is expected to be at Friday’s match. … UCLA won its
only previous meeting with Princeton 2-0 in 2001.