Eight months removed from a stinker of an inaugural season in Westwood, UCLA coach Ben Howland has wiped the slate clean. On the eve of the first day of basketball practice, Howland announced that not one of the Bruins’ four returning starters is guaranteed to keep his spot in the lineup this winter. Instead every […]
Author Archives: Jeff Eisenberg
W. soccer: Keeping her eyes on the goal
Engulfed by a throng of children, each armed with a pen and a UCLA team poster, Bristyn Davis stood on a patch of grass at Drake Stadium earlier this month, an easy-going smile plastered across her face. “Did you score a goal today?” one of the young autograph seekers asked. Davis laughed and shook her […]
W. soccer: Freshman goalkeeper proves herself on field
Thrown into the starting lineup her very first game at UCLA, freshman goalkeeper Valerie Henderson has made great strides over the past two months. Henderson, a two-time All-American at Miramonte High School in Orinda, Calif., has grown more comfortable with the pace of the college game. She has not allowed a goal in five of […]
W. soccer: Women’s soccer jump-starts slow season with 10 goals
Dormant for the last month or so, the UCLA women’s soccer team’s offense finally erupted this past weekend. The Bruins, who had tallied just eight goals in their past seven games, rediscovered their scoring touch, finding the back of the net a total of 10 times this weekend in a pair of victories against the […]
Despite wins, wait til Cal game to judge team
Admit it. You hear it too. That nagging voice inside your head that says this four-game winning streak is a mirage. The one that points to UCLA’s soft schedule, its swiss-cheese run defense, and its recent history of late-season collapses. The one that says there’s no way this team is for real. Well, I’ve got […]
M. hockey: Midnight warriors
A hockey stick in his left hand and a large black bag slung awkwardly over his right shoulder, Carlos Cazares walked through a dimly lit, desolate parking lot towards his car. He opened the door, stuck the key in the ignition, and glanced at the clock. It’s a few minutes past 1 a.m. “Earliest I’ve […]
W. soccer: Bruin defender back on the field
Now that the stress fracture in her back has healed, sophomore defender Mary Castelanelli is finally back in the starting lineup for the UCLA women’s soccer team. And that, coach Jill Ellis said, is very good news. “I’m elated that she’s back,” Ellis said. “Mary helps us tremendously with her experience. I called her after […]