The UCLA men’s soccer team will open its 2010 Pac-10 season when it takes on the Washington Huskies and the Oregon State Beavers this weekend at Drake Stadium.
The Bruins have enjoyed success in the Pac-10 in recent years, winning each of the last two conference championships and six of the last eight, but this year’s team is bereft of the senior leadership that was so vital to the past performances.
“The Pac-10 is really important for us, obviously,” junior midfielder Andy Rose said. “The younger guys know we’ve got such a strong tradition, and they know what it means to play for UCLA.
We just reiterate that to the guys. They pretty much understand what it takes.”
UCLA amassed a Pac-10 record of 5-1-4 in 2009, with its only loss coming by way of a 2-0 loss at Stanford.
The Bruins compiled an impressive 8-0-2 overall record at Drake Stadium last season and have continued that trend this year, winning all three matches on their home turf. In fact, the Bruins have not dropped a game in Westwood since they were upset in the first round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament by Cal Poly.
“Obviously, we’re very comfortable here at home,” coach Jorge Salcedo said. “We don’t have to travel; guys get to sleep in their own beds. We really enjoy playing at Drake. It’s a great surface, and with our own fan support, it motivates the guys.”
While last year’s seniors were battling to keep Drake Stadium as impenetrable as possible for opposing teams, a good number of this year’s starters were still playing on high school fields or for club teams across the country.
That lack of experience has proven to be a challenge for the No. 20 Bruins (5-2-1). After winning their first game of the season 1-0 against Notre Dame at a preseason tournament in Bloomington, Ind., Salcedo’s team, in his words, “imploded” against Indiana and ended up on the losing end of a 5-1 blowout.
The No. 14 Huskies (6-1-1) come into Westwood riding a seven-game unbeaten streak after suffering a defeat to Evansville in their first match of the season. Junior forward Brent Richards leads Washington in scoring with four goals and two assists in eight matches. The Huskies have been led by the presence of senior goalkeeper Stephen Fung, who has only conceded two goals while making 17 saves in five matches this season.
“Washington has had a great preseason,” Salcedo said. “They’re a team that wants to come here and get a result. It’s a great way to start the Pac-10 to play against them. They’re in good form, and I feel like we’re in good form as well. A lot of guys are performing well on the field, and I think we have a great chance of winning the conference.”
The Beavers (5-2-0) are going through a rebuilding phase of their own after losing a strong class of seniors in addition to forward Danny Mwanga, who was selected first overall by the Philadelphia Union in the 2010 Major League Soccer SuperDraft. Half of the Beavers’ 28 players on their 2010 roster are freshmen, as opposed to only four seniors.
Rose hopes the Bruins can impose their will on their opponents this weekend.
“Hopefully, we can go out there and inflict our style of play,” Rose said. “Obviously, we know a few things about them, but they will hopefully be more worried about us.”