On a picturesque Sunday afternoon, the No. 3 UCLA women’s
soccer team (16-2, 7-0) celebrated Senior Day in style, running its
winning streak to 10 games after defeating Washington State (8-6-3,
3-2-2) 2-0.
The win capped off a perfect weekend as the Bruins won their
matchup against the Washington Huskies (6-12, 1-6) Friday night by
an identical 2-0 score.
“I think the first half of (Sunday’s) game was
probably the best 45 minutes we’ve played (all
season),” UCLA coach Jill Ellis said. “We were a little
slow to get started in the second half, but at this point in the
season to get two wins and set us up for the Pac-10 (title),
I’m pleased.”
SLIDESHOW
Click here to see more photos from this weekend’s UCLA soccer
games.
As the postseason nears, the Bruins have been focusing not on
their opponents but on their own play, knowing they must be in top
form to make another deep run through the playoffs. By the looks of
this weekend’s play it seems that the team is peaking at just
the right time.
“I think our team came out and played the way we needed to
play,” senior captain Bristyn Davis said. “We came out
hard the entire first half (against Washington State). I am really
proud of our team and I think we came out the way we needed
to.”
With the six Bruin seniors honored before their final regular
season home game, it was fitting that the two senior starters
stepped up into the spotlight.
Davis broke the scoreless tie during the 24th minute, blasting a
shot from the right side into the net. Fellow senior Stacy
Lindstrom received the ball from junior Danesha Adams and laid the
ball off perfectly to set up Davis’ score.
It was Davis’ first goal in almost two years.
“I’ve been itching for a goal this whole season, and
I finally got it so I was just excited,” Davis said. “I
wanted to come out today and play my best, and I don’t think
I could have done any better. Stacy (Lindstrom) assisted me, my
other senior on the field, so that was great.”
Freshman Lauren Cheney added another goal in the second half on
a penalty kick.
Though the Bruins were undefeated in conference play coming into
the weekend, they still weren’t satisfied with how they had
been playing as a team. The results were there, but the level of
play needed to improve.
That improvement came this weekend against the Washington
schools as UCLA played some of its best soccer of the season.
Friday night, Davis was again in the middle of the action
serving a cross to sophomore Christina DiMartino, which she
promptly deposited into the back of the net. Adams had opened the
scoring in the first half off a penalty kick.
“I think it was a big weekend for us,” Lindstrom
said. “It was a tell-all of how well we’re going to do
at the end of Pac-10s. All week we just focused on our performance
and so when we went out there we did what we practiced all
week.”
With just two conference games remaining, the Bruins are again
in the driver’s seat for the Pac-10 title. Next weekend UCLA
faces the Oregon schools and could lock up an unprecedented fourth
consecutive conference title, as well as another top seed for the
NCAA tournament.
“We did some good things,” Ellis said. “I
don’t want perfection, but I want my team to continue to get
better. I felt like the game (on Sunday) was by far the best half
we’ve played this season.”