Daily Bruin File Photo Senior forward Staci
Duncan chases after a ball last season. Duncan scored two
goals in Friday’s 3-0 win vs. LMU. Friday UCLA d.
LMU 3-0 Princeton t. Cal Poly 0-0 Sunday UCLA d.
Princeton 2-0 LMU d. Cal Poly 2-1
By Jeff Agase
Daily Bruin Reporter
The UCLA women’s soccer team isn’t a very good
host.
The No. 2 Bruins didn’t let either of their guests score a
goal this weekend at their tournament.
UCLA breezed by Loyola Marymount Friday night 3-0 then bounced
back from a sloppy first half to down No. 25 Princeton 2-0 and win
the inaugural UCLA Women’s Cup.
The wins extend UCLA’s season-opening winning streak to a
school-record nine games and send the Bruins into the Pac-10 season
unblemished.
But apparently there is still room for improvement.
“We played sluggishly in the first half,” UCLA head
coach Jillian Ellis said after Sunday’s victory over
Princeton. “I told them at halftime that we can’t be
coasting through the end of the first part of our
season.”
The Bruins wasted no time, however, in Friday night’s
all-Los Angeles contest at Spaulding Field against LMU (4-6-0).
After at least five quality UCLA scoring chances in the first 25
minutes, senior forward Staci Duncan headed a cross-field pass from
freshman Sarah-Gayle Swanson past Lion goalkeeper Elizabeth Skhal
for the first score of UCLA’s first home game of the
year.
The Lions remained strangers to UCLA’s side of the field
all night. LMU’s first big chance didn’t come until the
37th minute when a looping pass sailed harmlessly over the
goal.
The Bruin barrage continued through the second half and Skhal
was equal to the task until the 71st minute when Duncan struck
again. After a pass from fellow senior forward Mary-Frances Monroe,
Duncan used some deft footwork to dribble left and set up a rolling
shot that made it past Skhal.
“I put it away when I had chances,” Duncan said.
“We all played really well. It was time for us to have a home
game.”
Senior Stephanie Rigamat added a penalty kick goal in the waning
moments of the match to end the damage at 3-0.
“I think in the first half we only had five shots but we
definitely had more possession,” Ellis said. “To
possess as much as we possess we need to score more goals. I
thought in the second half we had more shots and more
opportunities.”
Despite an 18-5 advantage in shots against Princeton (6-1-1) on
Sunday, the Bruins were scoreless at the half on just four shots.
The UCLA speed took over in the second half, however, when Rigamat
returned from a shin bone contusion suffered midway through the
first half to score the game’s only two goals.
“We played very well in the first half, nearly perfect in
terms of game plan,” Princeton head coach Julie Shackford
said. “But then their forwards started to get some separation
for long-range scoring position in the second half.”
The Bruins went to midfield to accept the first UCLA
Women’s Cup trophy after totaling six points in their two
victories. Loyola Marymount rebounded from Friday night’s
loss to defeat Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 2-1 Sunday at home. The
Lions received three points for their victory and finished in
second place.
Cal Poly and Princeton played to a scoreless tie Friday
afternoon, but Cal Poly took third place on goal differential.
“¢bull; “¢bull; “¢bull;
The undefeated Bruins get a chance to send home another pair of
unhappy visitors when the Arizona schools come to Westwood next
weekend to open the Pac-10 season.