Just two days removed from the announcement of its No. 6 seeding
in the NCAA tournament, the men’s soccer team has taken
practice to a new level.
The ill-will and anger exuding from many of the players toward
the selection committee have since been erased as UCLA concentrates
on its second-round bout with the winner of the Cal State
Northridge and Loyola Marymount match this weekend.
“Right now the overall feeling is exciting and looking
forward to our first playoff game,” said coach Jorge Salcedo,
whose team enjoys a bye in the first round.
“I think the team, from the mentality in practice, is here
to play, and we’ll be ready for next Tuesday.”
There’s a likely possibility that on the way to the NCAA
College Cup, UCLA would not have to venture very far from home. The
Bruins are hosting this year’s final four of soccer at the
Home Depot Center in Carson, which means the only round UCLA would
have to travel away for would be the quarterfinals.
But even to get to Carson, the Bruins have a long road and very
worthy opponents ahead of them.
“We know we have possibly the toughest road ahead, playing
Maryland away or Indiana away,” freshman forward Kamani Hill
said. “To get to the finals, that’s where we want to
be. I’d say we’re looking forward to it; it’s
going to be a challenge.”
If UCLA is to make it far into the tournament, its success will
likely ride on the shoulders of the three Bruin seniors this
season: forward Mike Enfield, defender Aaron Lopez and forward
Ahmed Khalil. The trio brings the invaluable experience of being
integral members of the 2002 NCAA championship team.
“It puts a damper on everyone if we don’t
win,” Enfield said. “You don’t want to get out
before you think you’re suppose to go out. But right now
we’re not even thinking about that. The sky’s the limit
for us.”
But the Bruins will have to wait for the bye week to end until
they can enter the fray. In the meantime, Salcedo will have the
Bruins suit up Saturday for an intersquad game when the team will
simulate a real game situation.
Despite the eight-day layoff before the Bruins’ opening
match on Tuesday, Salcedo, who is in his first year at the helm, is
not worried about his team losing concentration.
“The way you avoid having a lull is having good practices,
and the guys get themselves mentally ready,” Salcedo said.
“We’ve done this three years in a row where we’ve
gotten a bye; we’re used to it, and we’ll be
ready.”
As for having a preference for who they play in the second
round, the Bruins don’t have one. They have defeated Cal
State Northridge 3-1 and tied Marymount 0-0.
“Either game, both teams are good,” Hill said.
“Whomever we play, it’s going to be a tremendous
game.”
UCLA, which has won their last eight of nine games, is riding a
wave of momentum going into the tournament, and the Bruins’
play couldn’t have peaked at a better time.
“Chemistry: Once it’s created, it’s hard to
break. We keep building on it; we’re a better team, and
we’re better friends,” Hill said.
“If we play off of that and stay focused on each game one
at a time, we’re going to get to the Final Four and
we’re going to get that championship.”