If Oregon State and Washington are still fresh in the minds of the men’s soccer team, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. No. 24 UCLA played at Corvallis last Friday, and then in Seattle on Sunday, before hosting both teams for rematches this weekend.
The Bruins dominated last Friday, getting a 4-1 win over the Beavers, and then brought home a nail-biting 3-2 win against the Huskies.
This weekend UCLA will play host to the two schools from the Pacific Northwest, and this time there will be a much larger target on the Bruins’ backs.
Tonight’s game against Oregon State opens up the second half of the Pac-10 season with coach Jorge Salcedo’s team at the top of the conference standings, playing in games as the definite favorite. With the Bruins boasting a more technically skilled lineup, they are expecting their opponents to come out with a lot of energy in the rematches.
“They know that they’re skill-wise maybe not up to par with us but their work ethic is high quality,” sophomore midfielder Chance Myers said. “We know they’re going to come (at us) because we beat them. So they’re going to give even more.”
The Beavers are by no means a pushover of an opponent. After the rough loss last Friday, they came back to shutout San Diego State 2-0, a team that defeated UCLA 1-0 earlier in the year. And the Huskies, while sitting in the cellar of the conference, were mere seconds away from an overtime game against the Bruins last weekend before sophomore Kyle Nakazawa found the back of the net in the 90th minute.
Salcedo also expects to see two very different types of matches this weekend. While they are playing the same opponents, many other factors have changed. The team endured two road environments last weekend, as well as the rains of the area.
“I think it’s much different,” Salcedo said. “The game last Friday against Oregon State … the environment was much different, the weather will be much different. It’s a thick field up there, a slower field. Down here it’s a very short, fast field.”
The Bruins love the Drake Stadium conditions. Despite the tribulations of the first half of the season, the team remains undefeated at home.
“(We’re) a lot happier to be back home,” senior Greg Folk said. “(It’s) amazing to play at Drake. Teams find it really hard to come here and play against us.”
With a slim lead in the conference, if the Bruins capitalize on their home-field advantage, they could get some much needed separation. Going into the weekend UCLA has only a half-game lead over California, who has the weekend off, and San Diego State, who also plays Oregon State.
The Aztecs were originally scheduled to play both Oregon State and Washington in San Diego, but due to poor air conditions their schedule has undergone significant changes. They will play against Oregon State on Sunday at UCLA on the North Athletic field at 1 p.m., and against Washington on Nov. 18. The Bruins will host the Aztecs a day earlier than scheduled, on Nov. 16.
As the Bruins look ahead to the rest of their season, it seems like they have figured out the correct formula, and just in time.
“(It’s) definitely a relief,” Folk said. “We’re finally starting to find our stride. And it’s a good part of the season (to do it), We’ve got half of the season in Pac-10s and then playoffs.”