First challenge met
Arizona State’s two first-half goals Sunday snapped three
streaks for the UCLA defense, two of which had held up since last
year’s 2-1 national championship final loss to North
Carolina.
The Bruins had yet to trail in their first 11 games before Sun
Devil forward Antoinet Marjanovic fired a 25-yard shot over Bruin
goalkeeper CiCi Peterson in the ninth minute.
UCLA had also not given up two goals in a game in 2001 until
Stephanie Peel capitalized on a defensive breakdown to put ASU
ahead 2-0. The Bruins hadn’t even trailed a team by two goals
since a 1999 7-0 playoff loss to Thursday’s opponent Santa
Clara.
The potent UCLA offense counterpunched once in the first half
and twice more in the second half to secure a 3-2 win and preserve
its undefeated record.
Shooting blanks
The Bruins managed just three goals on 32 shots in the ASU
victory while the Sun Devils were perfect, scoring on their only
two chances. UCLA head coach Jillian Ellis said after the win that
her team should be scoring four or five goals on ten shots rather
than just one.
The Bruins have 31 goals on 247 shots, which works out to
roughly one goal per eight shots. Opponents have mustered only four
goals on 64 shots through 11 matches.
The Pryce is right
Sophomore defender Nandi Pryce saw her first game action in
nearly a year in Friday night’s 2-0 win over Arizona. The
prized recruit injured her leg early in 2000 and had been relegated
to the role of sideline cheerleader.
Pryce returned, but not in her usual defensive capacity. Ellis
instead moved her to the midfield, where she played for about half
of both the weekend matches and registered five shots.
Let’s go polling
The Bruins remain entrenched in the No. 2 slot of the NSCAA poll
after the weekend wins, but the rest of the Top 5 shook up after
some surprises.
Portland fell out of the third spot when it lost to
still-unbeaten and No. 16 St. Mary’s 1-0. Nebraska had
occupied the No. 4 spot but fell to Big 12 contender Texas 2-1.
The upsets allowed 11-1-0 Santa Clara to take the third spot and
add a little more intrigue to the Broncos’ Thursday showdown
with UCLA. Notre Dame and Nebraska round out the new Top 5.
Notes compiled by Jeff Agase, Daily Bruin Reporter.