You could call this weekend the playoffs for the men’s
soccer team.
Today No. 18 UCLA (9-4-2. 4-2-1 Pac-10) hosts Stanford (6-6-3,
4-2-1 Pac-10), with whom they’re tied for second in the
Pac-10, and on Sunday welcomes conference-leading No. 6 Cal.
While the Bruins have their focus on tonight’s Stanford
game, the prize they want is to pass up Cal (11-3-1, 6-1 Pac-10) to
win the Pac-10 title. If the Bruins win their final three games,
they have a very good shot at bringing home first place.
“We have three home games,” coach Jorge Salcedo
said. “We have nine points to earn in the Pac-10. We know
that Cal has a very difficult schedule going down to San Diego
State, coming to us, and they still have to go to Stanford, so I
think if we win our three games, I think we win the
Pac-10.”
Standing in the way this weekend are two very tough teams from
up north.
The last time UCLA faced the Bay Area teams was earlier in the
season, when they were hit with some horrible luck.
Early in the Sept. 22 game at Berkeley, leading goal scorer
Maxwell Griffin went down with a season-ending ACL injury and the
Bruins were forced to shuffle their game plan on a moment’s
notice.
They ended up losing 3-1 to Cal and tying Stanford 1-1 two days
later.
Against the Cardinal, the Bruins controlled the game but
couldn’t take the victory.
“I remember that we outplayed them,” freshman
midfielder Kyle Nakazawa said. “Possession-wise (we)
controlled the game. We had our chances and didn’t execute.
We made a couple lapses in the back, and they capitalized. Overall
we definitely outplayed them, and I look forward to doing the same
this weekend.”
This time the Bruins are without two regular starters, but have
had more time to prepare.
Sal Zizzo and Kiel McClung are out after picking up cards in
last week’s game at Washington, but the team has been able to
practice all week with the new assignments in the 4-4-2.
The Cardinal show up at Drake Stadium with two main threats to
score. Evan Morgan leads the team with four goals and Galen
Thompson is right behind him with three.
“They’ve got some good forwards on their team that
can put the ball in the net,” sophomore Jason Leopoldo
said.
Cal has had production from a wider variety of players. Javier
Ayala-Hil leads the way with six, Steve Purdy in second with four,
and two players are tied with three.
Heading into this weekend’s must-win games, the UCLA
men’s soccer team is focusing on having the right frame of
mind.
“We got to come out with the (right) mentality and be
focused for the game because that’s pretty much been the
downfall for our losses,” Leopoldo said.