EVE COHEN Sophomore Amanda Simpson looks to
head for third in a game last week against Oregon.
By Michael Sneag
Daily Bruin Contributor
Momentum is a funny thing. It’s hard to figure it out or
even really do much to manipulate it. It just appears and changes
sides almost at will, but when it is on your side you have to take
advantage of it.
Hoping to capitalize on their dramatic 5-3 win on Wednesday
against Washington, which capped a 7-0 homestand, the No. 1 Bruins
(41-6, 9-3 Pac-10) journey north to take on No. 6 Cal and No. 7
Stanford on a pivotal road trip.
As UCLA knows, the tough Pac-10 schedule doesn’t allow for
rest. Both Stanford and Cal will be tough, particularly on their
home turf.
“Cal is playing awesome right now, especially after
knocking off Arizona twice last weekend,” senior Stacey
Nuveman said. “That should make people take notice that they
are not messing around. Stanford is never a roll-over so it is
going to have to be a big weekend for us.”
Revenge will be on the minds of both Bay Area teams. The Bruins
swept them two weekends ago to open up the momentum-building
homestand. And just as the Bruins defended their home turf, Cal and
Stanford will be looking to do the same.
Cal boasts the pitching of Jocelyn Forrest, who earned Pac-10
Pitcher of the Week honors after her one-hit, 15-strikeout
performance against Arizona. Meanwhile, Stanford will be itching to
prove that they can rebound after getting swept by the Arizona
schools last weekend.
The Bruins are hoping to avoid the suspense of Wednesday, when
sophomore Claire Sua’s grand slam erased a 3-1 deficit.
Instead, they will rely on solid pitching from their two aces,
Amanda Freed and Keira Goerl.
As the team revels in their dramatic win Wednesday, head coach
Sue Enquist also focuses on the team’s patience and ability
to fight back against a quality team, knowing that it was a good
test of things to come.
The players feel the same way.
“We just need to have a strong defense and stay patient at
the plate,” junior Tairia Mims said. “And things will
happen for us.”