I recently uploaded this video for a soccer history exhibit in San Jose, but you guys may be interested because the color guy is famous UCLA soccer coach Dennis Storer, who founded our program and helped turn it into a national powerhouse back in the late 60's and early 70's. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3kbW7ZynTA"]1969 Dynamo Kiev vs. California Clippers - YouTube[/ame]
Anyone going to Stanfurd - UCLA on Sunday? Stanfurd produced a pretty funny commercial for it: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTZdTcSlXkk"]Stanford Men's Soccer commercial - The Wall - YouTube[/ame]
Have you seen enough of Chandler Hoffman to have an opinion of his potential? He's been their most consistent goalscorer in a long, long time.
UCLA 3 - Stanford 0. Utter domination. When Stanford did get the ball into UCLA's defensive third, the defense was tight and didn't give them any room to breathe. They didn't get more than 1 or 2 momentary open looks on goal. Chavez, Hoffman, Rowe, Arreola, Singh, Rose all looked great. Singh had a goal of the year candidate for our third goal... 30 yard volley, bounced off the post far corner and then rebounded into the bottom corner on the other side of the net. Beautiful goal. It was Arreola's dangerous cross that turned into the own goal for our second. Completely different UCLA team from what I saw against SCU earlier this year. Looking like NCAA tournament contenders for sure.
Kind of interesting that (Kelyn) Rowe didn't start today, although he still played most of the way. Looking at the RPI, there are so many teams bunched together that their last game against SDSU is really important. A win gives them a shot at a top 8 seed. A loss may mean no seed at all.
First of all, Singh's goal was sick! I saw the Cal game on Friday as well as the Stanford game. Generally agree with your assessment. They look like a completely different team then against SCU (also the last time I saw them play). Much better. I thought Stanford was pretty weak but Cal actually looked decent and UCLA dominated them as well. Though it won't show up in the stat sheet, Brian Rowe completely controlled the penalty area against Cal cutting out several potentially threatening crosses. The biggest difference with the UCLA squad now is that they possess the ball with purpose instead of just screwing around with it in their own half. It seems they have figured out how to get forward with possession. In my opinion, they're still often one pass too slow when switching the field in the back, but that's a minor criticism compared to what I saw before. They are still vulnerable to giving up weak counter attack opportuinities by getting unnecessarily disposessed in their own half/near midfield, but overall, they look pretty good now. If they stay in form, they could make a deep tourney run.
Kelyn Rowe is your Pac-12 player of the year. Coach Salcedo wins coach of the year. I was doubting him big time when this highly talented team struggled early but he got it together and they dominated in the middle and stretch of the Pac-12 season. http://www.uclabruins.com/sports/m-soccer/spec-rel/111511aak.html Arreola, Rose, and Hoffman also make first team all-conference.
http://www.uclabruins.com/allaccess/?media=283694 Skip to the 2:20 mark for video of the top 5 goals of the year. Leftback Shawn Singh with a very deserving goal of the season against Stanford.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5vFOazWVn8"]UCLA 2011 Goals Kelyn Rowe, Eder Arreola, Shawn Singh, Chandler Hoffman - YouTube[/ame]
Anyone know what happended to Reed McKenna? He was playing every game earlier in the year but hasn't played the last 10 games or so. Is he hurt?
The Bruins are loaded at the FWD position. (Hoffman, Chavez, Foxhoven, Monge (now converted to M), Williams to name a few. McKenna is just a freshmen waiting to break thru I suspect. As it were, neither McKenna nor Foxhoven (who was also in the starting rotation earlier in the season) were on the tournament roster last night as I saw them sitting with the spectators. Bruins are playing decently although for all of the forwards they have rostered, they just aren't that explosive offensively which is concerning. However, the Bruin defense has been stingy (six consecutive clean sheets/10 on the year with only 2 PAC 12 conference goals allowed) but IMHO, if the Bruins want to progress deep into the tournament, they had better find some scoring beyond Hoffman.
I hope they can make the West Coast proud. Would love to see all the CA. teams advance to the round of 8... Sure hope McKenna gets a chance next year, he has great spead and has a knack for finding the back of the net
Wow 48 seconds in and Chandler Hoffman has put UCLA up 1-0 on Rutgers. I believe Rutgers alum Alexi Lalas is in attendance.
Chandler Hoffman spotlight article: http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2011/12/hoffman-ucla-college-spotlight-.html New SBI top 40 list has Kelyn Rowe at 3, Hoffman at 9, Brian Rowe at 31 and Andy Rose deservedly getting some attention at 38. http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_...aft-big-board-and-more-on-the-draft-pool.html
Why is Kelyn Rowe coming off the bench? That's three games in a row he hasn't been in the starting line-up.
A brilliantly created goal that totally silenced the entire stadium last night. Cardinal fans were shocked and could not believe their season ended that suddenly. Cardinals were good but the Bruins were a cut above IMO. Well worth the 4 hour road trip. (as was last year's!) Good luck Bruins v UNC.
How is Kelyn Rowe Pac 12 player of year while Chandler is up for Herrman Trophy? Cant anyone jump ahead of these National Team players (even though they are only 15-16 when they are identified?
My guess is different people making the determinations have different opinions and look for different things. The two are really an apples to oranges comparison. Playmaker who controls the midfield and starts the attack and quality pure goal scorer. Both have been crucial to UCLA's success (as have Andy Rose and Brian Rowe in my opinion). Anyway, isn't Hoffman getting nominated for the Herman over all of the former youth nationals on UCLA squad (Arreola, K. Rowe, Chavez, Raynr?, others?) evidence of him "jumping ahead" in the eyes of the Herman folks? What's your beef with K. Rowe or his play?
No beef ...saw him play once live (off the bench) and on TV twice vs Louisville...just saw a few older players on UCLA and in Pac 12 this year better than he (Husedt-Wash for example)
Not sure if the Louisville games are the best to judge K.Rowe on. He went through an early season slump his first few games (starting with the first Louisville match) where he didn't look like himself. He quickly snapped out of it and was his dominant self for the rest of the season. The second Louisville match was a tactical/defensive battle in the NCAA quarterfinals between two teams playing "not to lose" so it was difficult for him to show off his attacking skills.
Valid point. Once players are on the hype train at age 14, 15, 16 they can essentially ride it until they're a pro. Regardless, Rowe and Chandler will need to be on top of their game to take down NC - Bruins looking for West Coast Respect
The 2011 Pac 12 Conference Awards were a joke this season and IMHO the PAC 12 Coaches made a mockery of the process. Kelyn Rowe was relegated to the bench as IMHO his play was out of form through most of the PAC 12 Conference Season. To award him the POY award was a joke. The knock of Hoffman's play was that he only scored 2 of his goals during Conference Play so I can see why he wasn't named. I really thought the Bruin defense was underrepresented and dissed as Brian Rowe and his back line allowed but 2 goals all through Conference Play. 2 goals in 10 games. Brian Rowe would of been a more deserving candidate for PAC 12 Conference POY and his back line all should of been recognized to a greater degree BASED ON PERFORMANCE. As it were, Wiet only made the second team, Sofia and Singh received an Honorable Mention and Matchett, who had a great PAC 12 season dishing out assists wasn't recognized at all. Nut Nut - these awards were based on reputation rather than actual performance and the PAC 12 Coaches should be ashamed that they didn't do the actual due diligence as a casual fan like myself did.
Kelyn had 2 goals and 4 assists in 10 pac-12 games according to my tally, that is hardly "out of form." In my opinion he was only out of form the first few games of the season. Aside from that he had a really good year. I completely agree that the defense was underrated. Shawn Singh especially had a great year, I expect him to get drafted in the supplemental rounds.
Granted my sample size is very small as I only saw a few games, but I echo you and WatzBruin's thoughts on the lack of respect the defense got. Shawn Singh in particular. I have been impressed with him in each of the matches I saw, both defensively and getting forward. I think he's highly underrated and has potential at the next level. Also, for Brian Rowe, his number of saves/save percentage really don't tell the whole story. Excluding the first Louisville game, in the games I saw (particularly the Cal game) he cut out a lot of crosses and other balls in the box and eliminated any danger. The control of the box doesn't show up in the stat sheet but is huge for a defense in many ways, including confidence.