Yesterday was Senior Day for the women’s soccer team.
Tracey Winzen is the lone senior on the squad, so it was
essentially Tracey Winzen Day for the team captain and
defender.
Moments before the match, UCLA head coach Jillian Ellis talked
about Winzen’s impact on the team. Winzen met Ellis, her
parents, brother, and associate athletic director Betsy Stephenson
on the field to receive a bouquet of flowers while Drake Stadium
showered her with applause.
“It was really special,” said Winzen after the
match, as she was given even more gifts and was surrounded by young
autograph seekers.
Fortunately for Winzen and the rest of the No. 6 Bruins (14-3,
6-1 Pac-10), Oregon State didn’t spoil the party. The Bruins
defeated the Beavers 4-1 easily.
“I was upset it was my last game (at Drake),” Winzen
said. “I’m going to miss the girls, but I was excited
at the same time because it was just me out there, so it was kind
of a big day.”
UCLA scored in less than two minutes when freshman midfielder
Allie True drove the ball up the right sideline and launched a
cross into Oregon State’s goalie box, which sophomore Lindsay
Greco finished off for the Bruins’ first goal of the
match.
“The first goal within two minutes was brilliant; it set
the tone for the rest of the game really,” Ellis said.
The Bruins scored again in the second half when Greco passed the
ball from midfield to sophomore forward Crystal James, who finished
it off for the Bruins’ second goal.
“We were pleased with our game today, Oregon State has had
some good victories this year, and we came out and got business
done,” Ellis said. “It was a good way to end our last
regular season home game.”
UCLA’s backline defense was so stingy that Bruin sophomore
goalkeeper Sarah Lombardo did not have to make a save until 49
minutes into the match.
Lombardo was pulled in the 81st minute for Jaclyn Harwood soon
after freshman forward Stacey Lindstrom and freshman midfielder
Jill Oakes notched goals for the Bruins to put the game away
4-0.
The Beavers scored a meaningless goal in the 83rd minute on a
chip shot over Harwood.
On Friday night the Bruins executed a 2-0 victory over Oregon,
featuring a strong defensive performance whereby the Bruins held
the Ducks to two shots on goal.
Both Greco and freshman Katie Rivera scored goals for the Bruins
in the second half.
“One of our objectives was to score a lot of goals and to
only come away with two is a little disappointing,” said
Ellis, as UCLA had 23 shots on goal. “We just have to work on
our finishing. We’re creating a lot of chances, but we are
not really following through.”