COURTNEY STEWART Freshman Gina Umeck
takes a swing in a match earlier this season.
By Michelle Coppolella
Daily Bruin Contributor
Patience is a virtue that few people possess ““ much less
an entire golf team. But through all the disappointment, heartache
and disbelief the UCLA women’s golf team endured throughout
an uncharacteristically mediocre season, in the end the saying
“All good things come to those who wait” now rings
true. The Bruins qualified for the NCAA Finals for the first time
in four years.
As the No. 19 UCLA women’s golf team enters competition
Wednesday in Orlando, Fla., the confident Bruins look to take small
steps toward their feasible, yearlong goal: to play the
high-caliber golf they know how to play.
Instead of focusing on capturing the entire tournament, the
Bruins will turn their attention toward playing their consistent,
team-focused golf.
“Team unity, belief in ourselves, and focus more than
anything else really helped us pull it out in the Regionals,”
said Carrie Leary, who is in her first NCAA Finals during her
second year as UCLA’s head coach.
“We’re focused on having a target, being decisive
and focusing on what to do with each shot versus worrying about the
first-place finish,” she added.
WOMEN’S GOLF PREVIEW NCAA
Championships Orlando, FL May 23 – 26
Freshmen Melissa Martin and Gina Umeck, sophomore Saki Uechi and
seniors Leilani Bagby and Laura Moffat will try to recreate the
same chemistry that carried them to a fourth-place finish in the
NCAA West Regionals two weeks ago.
“I think what worked for us last time was the opposite of
what most people would think ““ we didn’t concentrate on
what we had to do, but instead we let things unfold,” Umeck
said. “We didn’t set number goals per se, we just kind
of set more personal, small goals.”
During the spring season, the Bruins’ best finish was
fifth place at the Pioneer Bruin Classic in March. With their No.
16 national ranking at the beginning of the spring season
plummeting as low as No. 23, there was cause for concern at times.
However, the team’s conviction never dwindled.
“The whole year we were percolating,” Umeck said.
“We knew it was there, but it just wasn’t surfacing.
Fortunately, it all came together at the right time. Communicating
and supporting each other on the course will really be
key.”
As a senior, this first and final trip to the Finals means a lot
for co-captain Moffat ““ especially since her parents will fly
in from Scotland to watch her try to capture the national title for
UCLA.
“At Regionals we were pretty confident but still a bit
nervous,” Moffat said. “But now I feel like I can go
there and go for it. There are no limitations.”
Leary has only the utmost respect for her players who have come
back from a season where not capitalizing on potential reigned and
pure skill seemed to falter.
“I feel like they’re really focused on the
game,” Leary said. “It’s not enough that we were
able to qualify for finals ““ now it’s like,
“˜Let’s go and do something with this
opportunity.'”