UCLA thread

[Geezaldinho]

We might as well start one.

UCLA had it's first game today, defeating UCSB at home 2-1. the winning goal was by Sidney Leroux in the 82nd minute

UCSB had an RPI of 144 last year, so it probably doesn't tell us much.

SOG and corners were about even

Cheney wasn't on the roster for this game.

attendance 375
BOX SCORE

[A_Fan]

Do you think the Pilots will do anything to recognize the gold medalists on UCLA and USC? Looking forward to seeing the welcome Shannon will get. I suspect she'll get a pretty big round of applause.

[ninjapizza]

attendance 375

I just snorted. It was unattractive, but I'd do it again.

I'm sorry, it's not nice to cackle at the misfortune of others, is it?

[Auto Pilot]

Most of the fans were from Isla Vista

[FANatic]

I really don't get 375 for an attendance number. I don't know if their students are on campus or not, but that's not just hideous and embarrassing to their program, it just doesn't make sense.

The campus is in one of the most populated areas in the country. I imagine there are tens of thousands of young girls playing youth soccer in So Cal. Just with young girls teams and coaches showing up, that should be 500 or more right there.

Women's soccer just isn't recognized down there, I guess. I bet USC's numbers are going to be better because winning the N.C. should have woken up a couple thousand folks. You would think...

[Geezaldinho]

well, it was rescheduled from Saturday, and it was during the week. But still....

here's a game summary from the UCLA site

and from the Gaucho site

[PurplePrideTrumpet]

My guess is the students are not back. The state schools up here at least will not start until mid-September.

Still, only 375

[Auto Pilot]

The team gets some support from the Men's Water Polo team and from the frats on campus. But what is really sad is when they play USC at home in Drake and SC has more fans plus the Trojan Band to boot.

Which reminds me I am still PO'd that the UCLA goons took the drums away from Villa last year during the playoff game.

[UPSoccerFanatic]

Sounds like they had the number of fans that we had in "standing room."

[Geezaldinho]

Which reminds me I am still PO'd that the UCLA goons took the drums away from Villa last year during the playoff game.

well, there is that pesky NCAA rule about no noisemakers during the playoffs...

[Harry Redknapp]

Some of you may recall Rachel Rapinoe or one of the the others on a recent podcast talking about how the freshmen at UP were blown away by the crowd at the season ticket BBQ scrimmage.

We'd have 375 fans at Merlo for Garrett to announce the squad numbers and introduce the players.

[KFTC]

A few things:
1. Sydney Leroux is quite good. Quite, quite good. She is a handful, even without the help of DiMartino, Cheney and Lang.
2. Kick-off for this game was at 4:00 pm. That is prime time for youth soccer practice in the Los Angeles area. Especially in the summer. You can expect teams to be training anywhere from 2:00 until 9:30 pm. It's the same for Sunday games in Portland, where the attendance drops off from Friday's game due to youth soccer games in the area. It's not that the interest isn't there, it's just a lot to try to shuttle from field to stadium and home again (or any combination of those three, adding the possibility of multiple kid pickups and drop-offs along the way), and especially when you possibly have to navigate 15 different freeways to do so.

[dystopia membrane]

Do you think the Pilots will do anything to recognize the gold medalists on UCLA and USC? Looking forward to seeing the welcome Shannon will get. I suspect she'll get a pretty big round of applause.

Bully that! Let them get applause on their own field. They are the opponent, for Christsake!

[PilotDrummer]

Which reminds me I am still PO'd that the UCLA goons took the drums away from Villa last year during the playoff game.

They don't think they have the self control. Stanford did the same thing to us in 2002.

[Stonehouse]

Actually, looking at their website, not only was the game time and date changed, so was the field! They played it at the "adjacent" North Athletic Field, which sounds (to me) like a practice field. So maybe we can cut them some slack.

Looking at last year's numbers, they finished 11th overall in the country in average attendance, at just over 1,200 a game. Which I would say is respectable, since I believe they do charge admission unlike some of the other programs in the top ten.

[Geezaldinho]

I think I read that for this game, at least, there was no admission. There was, however, a $9 parking fee.

[A_Fan]

Gee, Dystopia that's a pretty harsh first post. Opponent or not, those women won gold medals playing for our country, not their college team. Showing them some recognition for that accomplishment would be a classy move on the part of the Pilots.

[Auto Pilot]

Yeah Stoney I have been to a number of games there and its hard to really see and hear a thousand fans in a venue that holds 17,000. Its just a little unfortunate for them. Their program deserves better.

BTW I just read a Shannon article on the UCLA team site and it mentions she has a picture of Clive on the wall. A picture of Clive hanging in the Bruins coaching office. It brings a tear to my how the greatness of the individual can cut across all boundaries.

[dystopia membrane]

Gee, Dystopia that's a pretty harsh first post. Opponent or not, those women won gold medals playing for our country, not their college team. Showing them some recognition for that accomplishment would be a classy move on the part of the Pilots.

sorry...but in a match situation I want the opponent to feel derided and frightened, not proud and confident.
just me.

[aleppiek]

Dystopia,

I for one agree... a post match congratulations maybe... a pregame ceremony, only for our own.

[FANatic]

It's Thursday before the big UCLA/USC soccer week-end for the Pilot Women's team. Time to focus on Saturday night's match against our two-time Quarterfinals nemesis, UCLA.

This may have been mentioned earlier in the week, but let's get freshened up a bit: Those of you in the know about UCLA, we know they looked pretty overwhelming down in So Cal last November. Do you know who they've lost and who they've gained?

And what of the Pilots starting line-up? Any guesses? I think it will be Kelsey in goal again. The center backs will be Olivier and Schmidt. (Wow - what about Kassi? I sure liked her energy and aggressiveness.) Outside backs Sweeney and Tsao. (Do some of you want Elli at Sweeney's spot? Tsao can play either side, btw.)

The middle: Megan at the tip of the diamond up top, and of course, Keelin at defensive mid. Burk at right wing, Elli at left, or Kendra? (If Elli goes to the back, Kendra replaces her at the left wing.)

Strikers: Enyeart and Foxhoven. (If Rachael is ready, she could start for Foxhoven.)

What an incredible bench!!! (Of course that's going to be very necessary this year, knowing that injuries have been a big bug-a-boo the last two years, and we're losing three starters who are among our finest players at the end of the regular season. A strong and well-seasoned bench is certainly imperative this year!!!

Okay, Pilot Nation. Let me hear you ROAR! (I mean post - the real roaring we'll save for Saturday night.)

BRING ON THE BRUINS!!!

[PilotDrummer]

What has Villa been singing?

"Build a bonfire,
Build a bonfire,
Put the Bruins on the top,
Put the Trojans in the middle and we're burn it nice and hot."

[Auto Pilot]

[quote]Do you know who they've lost and who they've gained?[/]

Well First and foremost they lost their All American goalkeeper Val Henderson and Forward Danesha Adams. Both are of the category of illreplaceable in my opinion. You might remember Daneshal Adams scored the first and third goals of our 3-2 loss in LA last November. The third goal came off a crushing header over the top of non other than our own Steph L on the far post from a corner kick by Lauren Barnes who is returning. Henderson and Adams are gone that is the good news.

Already mentioned is incoming frosh Sydney Leroux from Canada who should be an exceptional player though I doubt anyone can match the speed Adams had. Also incoming is fellow Canadian Robyn Dutton from Calgary who I have not seen play. UCLA might have a bit of a goalkeeper controversy between returning senior Ashley Thompson and two freshmen. I would expect to see Thompson appear in our game as she would have started all four years at most schools without Henderson.

Bad news is Lauren Cheney is back from Bejing for UCLA as is Kara Lang for Canada. Both are big and strong with devasting shots. Our best bet is to avoid any one v ones with our Freshmen CDB's if at all possible. UCLA also returns midfielders Chistina DiMartino who might be the best and most creative dribbler in D1 soccer as well as midfielders McCall Zerboni and Katherine Calvert.

Also returning for the defense is Erin Hardy who you might remember for the non-call penalty in the box against Michelle E. in the playoffs last year. Putting aside the non-call, she is a tenacious and quick defender.

Other local quality players that will see more playing time this year are Nicole Sweetman and Caitlyn Mac Kecknie.

It will be interesting to see if Ellis decides to utilize her bench as she did last year or revert to almost never subbing as she did the year before.

Personally I think we match up better with UCLA this year than we did last year with the return of the Rapinos. No matter who plays though we will need to do a great defensive job all over the field to win. Leaving Lang and company alone with the ball in the attacking third as happened in the second half and overtime of last years playoff will spell trouble for the pilots if it happens again. However, we are playing at home with the Pilots "12th man" and I am pretty confident we are better prepared, at least at this point in the season, than UCLA with head coach Ellis having been in Bejing most of August. I know they had Shannon and B.J to work with but we will see.

[quote]

[Geezaldinho]

I'll note that three players didn't play in the UCSB game - Cheney, Lang , and Hardy.

The first two I can understand. Like Sophie, they are coming off jet lag.

How come Hardy didn't play?

[FANatic]

Great background on the 2008 Bruins, Auto Pilot. I think I've got a pretty good barometer on what we face on Saturday night.

You have quickly become quite an informative and interesting Pilot Nation member, AP. Keep up the good work!

(P.S.: It's nice to have a spy working for us down in So Cal!!!) Just Kidding.