UCLA has three new video interviews up with Stacy Lindstrom, Val Henderson and Kristina Larsen. Check them out here
I was at both games this past weekend. Actually, I saw overtime in the Santa Clara vs. UConn and the second half of the Santa Clara/Texas A&M game on Sunday. Considering that UCLA's full team only had one full day of practice together before the Texas A&M game, they looked good. Actually, during the first half of the game, UCLA looked unbeatable. They just dominated A&M in the first half, outshooting the Aggies 12-1. However, the score was just 1-0. The Bruins missed some key opportunities that almost cost them later. They hit a post, missed a wide open net, and couldn't convert on a breakaway 1v1 with the A&M goalie. UCLA looked solid in defense and very dangerous on the attack. But the game was a tale of two halves. A&M came out outhustling the Bruins in the second half and dominated play for at least the first 25 minutes. They outshot UCLA 8-6 in the half. Texas played 8 subs and they were relentless on defense pressuring any UCLA player with the ball. Almost like a line in hockey, the A&M coach continued to sub in and out players allowing them to outhustle UCLA. For its part, UCLA didn't possess the ball adequately, which meant that the Aggies continued to pressure the defense, which at one point failed to clear a ball and the score was tied. However, at a later point in the half, UCLA appeared to go to a 4-3-3 formation and began pressuring A&M a bit more. The Bruins scored on a counter attack with Cheney getting her first UCLA goal. Texas A&M is a very good team that is really deep, and uses its depth to play an all out game, at least against UCLA. Perhaps the heat of Sunday had something to do with it, but they did not pressure Santa Clara in quite the same way (at least in the second half). Tough weekend for A&M, but I would expect them to do well this year; definitely in the top tier of teams at this point. Sunday's game against UConn was really never in doubt because, with the exception of early on in the game, UConn never really pressured UCLA. They seemed to focus on defense with an offside trap. However, UCLA broke through a number of times, with one significant breakaway with a 1v1 with their goalie, but couldn't score. The second half was all UCLA ending up with a 3-0 victory. UCLA once again on Sunday used a 4-3-3 formation with Adams, Cheney and Larsen up front. How's that for an attack? Add to it DiMartino playing all over the field in the midfield, and that's a lot of pressure for any defense. The midfield also started Lindstrom and Calvert (a surprise starter for both games who played well). The defense of Wilmoth, Hardy, Switzer, and Castelanelli, with Henderson in goal, is very talented. Jillian didn't sub much during either game (until the last 10 minutes of the UConn game), but there's more talent on that bench. While knowing CSU Northridge is up next, I can't help but look forward to the Santa Clara game up north on the 22nd. Santa Clara looked great over the weekend. Definitely a top five team. And like UCLA, not up to full speed yet. Kind of scary. Go Bruins!
I agree pretty much with BruinEPLfan, especially about A&M. They are very atheletic, very quick and will only get better as the season goes on. I though that ucla played a lot of 4-4-2 although, its true that either Kristina or Christina did come forward fairly frequently. My big concern about the bruin offense is that it seems to be a one-trick-pony. I can't begin to count the number of times Sunday that they tried to put it over the top for a forward to run onto the ball. When it works, it is spectacular but it only works a few times a game. Maybe they need a few weeks with all the players back to get everyone in sync. I hope we'll see more creativity on offense. I think we'll need it especially against Santa Clara. Go bruins! Sophister
Ucla did not look very good against Northridge Friday enening. The offense played a very casual game game without much energy (except for DiMartino). The goal by Cheney was off a keeper error by CSUN. Danesha played midfield this week and didn't get many good looks at the goal. All-in-all not a very memorable game, bu, it was better than losing. I hope they get their act together for Santa Clara (who also seemed to have trouble getting motivated against BU). Go bruins! Sophister
both teams looking ahead, maybe? SCU looked very sloppy this weekend, only got serious at the end of games.
Perhaps. Dangerous thing to do given that other teams have talent that can make you pay for your mistakes. Even though UCLA had a sloppy game, Northridge impressed me with their effort. A troubling trend. Once again, UCLA dominated the shot count, but failed to finish a number of opportunities. The team keeps on winning games that end up closer than they should be. As Sophister said, it's better than losing. They are winning the games they should. Friday's going to be an exciting game at Santa Clara. Go Bruins!
Two games. Two 3-0 scores. Two entirely different results. One bittersweet win. And a huge question for this year's Bruins. The Santa Clara game Friday night was just one of those games. UCLA came out strong in the first 14 minutes and was significantly pressuring Santa Clara. The Bruins had at least one open goal type of opportunity that it did not convert (just wide past the keeper). Santa Clara then scored on a legitimate conversion of a corner kick. UCLA has looked shaky this year on defending corner kicks, and was just overwhelmed on this one by Santa Clara. At that point, the Broncos appeared to take it to the Bruins by winning the midfield, especially the outside spots as I saw it. Their second goal looked to me to be a clear offsides, but nonetheless a good play by Santa Clara. So, a 2-0 score at halftime that did not seem indicative of the game. UCLA remained dangerous all half but just couldn't create scoring opportunities. They appeared very uncreative going straight at the Broncos defense which had 4-6 players back. UCLA did not send passes wide to stretch the defense and instead tried either to go through the defense with the ball or tried through balls straight up the center. Santa Clara defended well. UCLA and Santa Clara began the second half the same as the first half was played, going back and forth with each other, but early on, one of the Bruin defenders collided with UCLA's keeper who was grabbing the ball in the air. The ball was dislodged from Henderson's hands and rolled into the goal. 3-0 Broncos. Game over. So, a strange night. Congrats to Santa Clara which played well. UCLA obviously has more work to do. Today, quite a different 3-0 game for the Bruins who dominated 19th ranked Pepperdine. Not even close. UCLA countered Friday night's result by going with a 3-5-2 lineup with Wilmoth, Hardy, and Castelanelli on defense, and Calvert, Lindstrom, DiMartino, Davis, and M. Zerboni in midfield. Adams and Cheney were once again up top. UCLA was a lot more creative in its offense today and looked sharp. The 3-back defense worked against Pepperdine. Coach Ellis was more liberal today with her subbing. In the wake of Friday's loss, it was good to get this win and effort. The bittersweet part of the win may have very serious consequences for UCLA. Late in the game, Mary Castelanelli went down with what the internet play by play said looked like a very serious knee injury. More will be known tomorrow. Mary was having a terrific year and was the most senior member of the defensive unit. Coach Ellis is going to have to work some magic this year to replace both Mary and Kara. Next weekend, USD and Gonzaga. More work to do on offense, and perhaps some serious issues with who will replace Mary on defense. All with only these two games before conference play begins. Go Bruins!
if there is any magic to be done it will come form the players...the coach hasn't been able to do it for 3 years now so if she had any magic to use i think she would have tried it in the last few years...you got the players so thats not the deal..maybe the coach..who knows..SC beats UCLA and UCLA is suppose to be the best this year....back to the drawing board..
maybe you are right. Smith at SCU is perhaps the best women's college coach right now and Clive left a great coaching tradition behind at Portland. Both of these teams have beaten UCLA recently and in both games I felt the Bruins were out coached.
So, tell me something. In losing in the final two years ago in which UCLA missed 4 PKs, when one score would have been the game-winner, it was the coach's fault?
Garret Smith had a great man to learn from as an assistant to Clive and it has shown. Smith has the Pilots so well coached that he doesn't even have to make any instructions during the game. If you were at the final last year in Texas you might have noticed quite a difference between the coaching. The UCLA coach was on her feet yelling the entire game and Smith just sat there. This might have been because the game was over after 20 minutes, but this was Smith was just as cool and calm the entire season.
I'm not an apologist for the UCLA coaches, but pleeeez. Let's see what we have here... Hasn't been able to get it done? A national championship? You are correct. I'd be foolish to argue against the coaching resumes of Anson Dorrance, Jerry Smith, and even Garrett Smith, who has now won his first championship. But Jillian Ellis has got her team to the final four the last three years, and in the final the last two years. Name another coach who has done that. They lost in PKs two years ago, and got beat by a better team with more talent last year. Yes, a national championship is the name of the game. But Ellis can't coach? That's what you're saying. Sooo, the players got UCLA there, but the coach lost the final? I just want to get it straight. Oh, and I'll add that losing to Santa Clara is nothing to be shocked about. As a North Carolina fan, I assume you know that. I'm sure UCLA will get better as a result of that loss. Garret Smith is a very good coach. And yes, he didn't say very many words during the final last year. Not sure what that proves, but I was there and have seen the game many times on tape. The UCLA coach was not on her feet yelling the entire game. She did get up at times to instruct her team which was getting blasted on the field. Believe me, many Laker fans down here wish that Phil Jackson would get up off the bench from time to time to try to get the team to play better. The landscape of women's college soccer is changing. There are many good coaches out there who will get their due in the coming years. (And there are a number of coaches who can't get it done despite having talent.) But currently there are only about 5-7 programs that are a cut above the rest competing for a national championship. UCLA is in that category. And it's all happened with Jillian Ellis as the head coach. Yes, she needs to win a national championship to get respect from many. That's true in any sport, in both college and the pros, and it's true at UCLA. Go Bruins!
if not winning a championship was the only criteria for success (and the reason for firing) SCU's Smith would have been fired a long before he won in 2001. I don't watch UCLA a lot, but the times I have seen them on TV or in person my only criticism is that their attack is very direct. I don't see a lot of creativity and movement and that makes it easier for the top teams to defend. I think UCLA matches up against UNC better than SCU or Portland because of this. Is this coaching? Probably, but Ellis has a great record so far. Not winning this year (with the most talented team) would prove to me that she needs to change her approach in the team's attack.
http://uclabruins.cstv.com/sports/w-soccer/spec-rel/092606aab.html Damn. You hate to see someone go out this way. Best wishes to Castelanelli on her recovery. She will be hard to replace.
Thanks Goalienna. Yes, as much as it is bad for UCLA, the worst part of it is for Mary. This in her senior season when she was having a banner year. So very sad.
It's been a little while for this thread to be active, so here I go... I didn't post any message after UCLA beat USD and Gonzaga. Not much to mention, except for a total domination of SDU and a winning score of 3-0. UCLA used mostly subs in the second half. Gonzaga was a closer game, but UCLA easily won 1-0. This past weekend, I believe UCLA raised its game overall. This was definitely the case in the Cal game in which UCLA won convincingly 4-1. Cal scored in the first 2 minutes due to a takeaway in midfield, but UCLA dominated from there on out. UCLA's offensive attack finally showed what was expected this season. It's much more creative and comes at the defense from all points on the field. The Stanford game to me proved that the Cardinal is the second best team in the PAC10. They managed to control large sections of the game due to winning the midfield, but UCLA had its dominating sections too, and came through with two spectacular goals in the 81st and 85th minutes, winning 2-0. It was a very entertaining weekend. The defense, in the wake of losing Castelenalli, is still finding its way sometimes with 3 freshmen playing with Hardy in the back (and sometimes playing a 3-back). However, Bristyn Davis moved to outside defender a few minutes into the Cal game and played the entire Stanford game at that position. It looks like she may be playing there the rest of the season. But in the midst of all of these changes, I think the Bruins are 10th in the nation in shutout percentage. There's talent, they are just learning to play with each other. A great weekend for UCLA. If they continue playing at this level and beyond, they will be tough to beat. Next up, USC. A rivalry game in which anything can happen. Go Bruins!
Right on target - I'm not sure why Cal and USC have been given so much more credit this year for playing a far inferior schedule. Stanford is a solid team, tough to break down and very consistent. The Cardinal's lack of scoring is their big weakness but I'd expect them to finish #2 in the Pac-10. This is not a team I would like to play in the first round of the playoffs.
Well, it's been awhile since I've posted thoughts on the Bruins. So, here goes a state of affairs of the team as of today... UCLA is on a roll, but not playing flawlessly. They've won 10 straight. The 3-0 loss to Santa Clara represented the low point in the season, which they've built on since. The offense which was so straight forward and predictable in that game, has become creative and lethal. That's not good news for defenses. Cheney, Adams and DiMartino are all having banner years. And Lindstrom is having a much better year than last year in the middle. UCLA plays possession soccer as well as direct. The Bruins' counter strike potential is very dangerous. The only issue for this team is finishing their opportunities. They create a lot of danger for defenses, but the wins have been much closer than they should have been. But as the offense is mostly humming now, the defense is still a work in progress. The loss of Castenellani at outside back (torn ACL) has had a huge impact as the Bruins now start two freshmen in the back line. Hardy, a sophomore, is now the most experienced defender (center back) on the team and the back line depends on her speed and leadership. Offenses, though, have been finding success at getting behind the defense on the outside. But Henderson has had a terrific season in goal, and the defense, although pressured, has not given up a lot of goals. The result is a Bruin team that is hitting its stride going into the NCAAs. They are undefeated in PAC10 play, and need only to win one of their next two to win the conference. However, both wins are mandatory for playoff seeding. Game by game catch-up... USC--I'm told it was about the best game that USC has played this year. It's the ultimate rivalry game and it's the third straight year UCLA has won in overtime. Terrific game from a fan perspective. Both teams battled. UCLA won 2-1. I'll comment on USC in another thread. UofA--What UofA lacks in talent they dish out in physicality. I won't say the "D" word, but will just say the refs let the game get out of hand. Thank goodness no one is injured. UCLA holds on to win 1-0. It appears to me that UofA has simply not recruited as well in the last couple of years. ASU--UCLA dominated until the last 12 minutes or so. ASU then pours it on and UCLA once again holds on, this time to a 2-1 victory. Not sure what has happened to ASU in the last two years. UW--Relatively easy 2-0 victory. WSU--Relatively easy 2-0 victory. UCLA, IMO, is one of four teams in the nation that has a legitimate shot at winning it all. Yes, there may be a surprise team in the final four. That's entirely imaginable. But at this point, there appears to me to be four teams a cut above the rest (UNC, ND, UCLA, SCU). Go Bruins!
BruinEPLfan, I agree with almost everything you said but I thought the game they played against WU was pretty pathetic. The midfield was disorganized, there was no intensity. They were letting WU get to all the 50-50 balls and just looked sloppy. But even playing poorly they won it. I think they tend to let up against weaker teams. Today, against WSU, they looked much sharper. I hope they keep it up when they travel to Oregon. Go bruins! Sophister
Sophister, I can't disagree with you. Friday's effort was lackluster, but the game was never in doubt. And as you said, today was better. I expect them to take care of business next weekend so that they can get a top four seed in the NCAAs. Go Bruins!
Not the weekend UCLA wanted, but not the end of the world either. From what I understand, Oregon looked very good and outworked the Bruins. The Ducks are for real. Hopefully, UCLA will learn from this loss and outwork every opponent they now face. The Oregon State game was all UCLA. With the victory, the Bruins win their fourth consecutive conference title. Now for the NCAA brackets tomorrow... I don't know who else will be the third and fourth seed in the NCAAs ahead of UCLA and Santa Clara. So, we'll just have to see how the pairings have been affected by this loss on Friday. Go Bruins!
Rounds 1 & 2 at ucla: ucla vs unlv csuf vs lmu Not much different than the first rounds in years past. Utah, portland, uconn and texas, all stuffed in the bottom half of the region. No favors for #1 seed texas. There are some tough teams in the top half of the region but, on the whole, things could have been much worse for the bruins. With some good play and a bit of luck the regional finals could be at ucla. Let's hope so. Go bruins! Sophister
Right on, Sophister. The silver lining for UCLA is that Texas and Portland are in the bottom half. It's not as easy a journey as last year, made even easier when FSU beat UNC, but it's doable with a likely scenario of Portland at UCLA for the quarters. Texas as the #1 actually has a tougher road to hoe...traveling to Connecticut and then home with Portland. For UCLA, Florida will be the first real test (although the first two games are not gimmes), followed by Portland or Texas (in Austin). Then of course will come UNC and then perhaps Notre Dame. But one game at a time. It's amazing though that the committee gave the number one seed to Texas. What possible explanation is there except perhaps that it's in exchange for the road trip for the first weekend and the third round game with Portland? Go Bruins!
In addition to whatever happens on the field Friday's game (at 5:30) against unlv will be interesting because the unlv head coach, Katherine Mertz, was the ucla assistant coach until last year. She was probably involved in recruiting some of the junior and senior players and will know the team very well. On another note, the bruins have had a pretty good record playing at home over the years. Below are the home field results for the last eight years. yr win loss tie 1999 7 0 1 2000 8 0 0 2001 10 1 0 2002 9 3 0 2003 11 0 1 2004 10 2 0 2005 11 1 1 2006 12 0 0 Go bruins! Sophister
I would say the home field advantage is because of field size. Drake Stadium's field is very big compared to others. It suits the types of players that Jillian recruits. Indeed, Kat Mertz knows UCLA well. She was involved in recruiting all of the seniors, juniors, and sophomores on the team. Whether she has enough talent to suceed with her game plan is another matter. However, UCLA better not take UNLV for granted. Go Bruins!