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Monday, September 28, 1998

Bruins head race for NCAA honors again

PREVIEW: Tough midfield, skilled freshmen, returning players should carry team to top

By Moin Salahuddin

Daily Bruin Contributor

A coveted National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship finished off a dream season for the 1997 UCLA men's soccer squad.

Now, the only thing the 1998 squad has to do is simply duplicate that feat and bring home another title to Westwood.

The 1998 Bruins are arguably a stronger and more talented team than the championship one of a year ago. With all three of their top scorers returning and several promising newcomers, UCLA appears to be a clear favorite to repeat as Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) and NCAA champions.

"The team has improved from last year just because the young players have a lot more experience," head coach Sigi Schmid said.

"They have the confidence of winning a national title. The knowledge of knowing what it takes to win a title is invaluable."

The top-ranked team in the nation this year, the Bruins have many expectations to fulfill. With a schedule that features three top 10 teams and a host of others in the top 25, UCLA will have a difficult road back to the Final Four.

However, their strength in nearly every position on the field will undoubtedly prove to be too much for their opposition.

The midfield appears to be the greatest strength of this year's squad. as the Bruins feature five players who have played on various U.S. youth national teams. Among them are national player of the year candidate Sasha Victorine, senior Tom Poltl, junior Pete Vagenas and freshman sensation Ryan Futagaki.

Victorine, a 6-foot-2 junior midfielder, suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury last year but has fully recovered and is expected to be one of the key components of the team.

A Hermann Trophy candidate, Victorine was also a nominee for the 1997 Missouri Athletic Club Player of the Year Award despite sitting out most of the season.

He earned first-team, all-conference and second-team, All-Far West honors his freshman season.

Poltl, a 5-foot-6 honorable mention All-American, has the most experience of any midfielder on the squad. With his talent and knowledge, the Bruins will control the crucial midfield and give UCLA many more scoring chances. Poltl totaled four goals and three assists last year.

Vagenas was selected as the team's Most Valuable Player by his teammates last season, as he earned first-team, all-conference honors. Vagenas scored the game-winning goal in the MPSF Championship, a 1-0 victory over Stanford. He also scored the game-tying goal in the NCAA quarterfinals last year against Clemson.

Futagaki, a 5-foot-6 striker from Fountain Valley, is extremely quick and agile.

A high school All-American, "Futo," as he is nicknamed, will provide the Bruins with an instant boost whenever he is inserted into the lineup.

Seniors Shaun Tsakiris and Junior Gonzalez, along with sophomores Ryan Lee and Caleb Westbay will fight for playing time in the deepest and most experienced position for UCLA.

At the forward position are two of the Bruins' most talented players: senior Seth George and sophomore McKinley Tennyson, Jr.

George, a Player of the Year candidate and the Final Four Offensive MVP from last year, is the Bruins' leading scorer from last year.

A 5-foot-9 striker from Mission Viejo, George is known for his deft touch around the goal and his brutal power. He comes into this season needing only four goals and eight assists to break into the top 10 individually at UCLA for both categories.

One goal, in essence, captured the talent of Tennyson last year. Tennyson scored the game-winning goal in sudden-death overtime in the NCAA semifinals, utilizing all of his 6-foot-2 frame. The two-time Indiana High School Player of the Year, Tennyson tallied eight goals and seven assists his first year.

Also at the forward position is junior Martin Bruno, who was the second leading scorer behind George. Junior Shea Travis and freshman Sean Walker should also contribute much for UCLA.

Defense is the key to winning championships, and the Bruins have to deal with losing three key players from last year's squad. While this may be the weakest position for this team, sophomores Carlos Bocanegra, Ryan Lee and junior Steve Shak will fill in the gaps left by last year's squad.

Bocanegra, a 5-foot-11 defender, earned first-team, all-conference honors last year while also making it on the Final Four All-Tournament team. He was named a preseason All-American, along with George and Victorine, by Soccer America this season.

Ryan Lee, a 6-foot-1 sophomore, will also be an integral member of the Bruins' defense. Lee started his final eight games last year and assisted on the winning goal in the NCAA semifinals.

Shak, a 6-foot-1 defender and a Hermann Trophy finalist, will be the key player on defense for UCLA. Shak, a walk-on who did not play his freshman year, has greatly improved his skills and played recently on the U.S. Under-23 National Team.

Juniors Craig Hart and Adam Cooper, and redshirt freshman Brandon Kay will also see playing time for UCLA.

Losing the Final Four Defensive MVP might be considered to be fatal to any soccer team. Losing Matt Reis to graduation, however, has only let sophomores Nick Rimando and Kevin Perrault shine in the spotlight.

Rimando played seven games last year while only allowing one goal in 485 minutes (0.19 GAA) and earned honorable mention, all-conference honors. He is expected to start the majority of games this season.

Perrault, a 6-foot-4 giant, is expected to back up Rimando. Perrault set the California Interscholastic Federation single-season record for shutouts (24) at Peninsula High School in 1996.

The defense of the Bruins accounted for their championship as they held both Indiana (in the NCAA semifinals) and Virginia (in the NCAA finals) scoreless. If Rimando can contribute the way Reis did, UCLA will undoubtedly have a very bright future.

While UCLA marched on to a 2-0 victory over Virginia in the championship game last year, Victorine and Vagenas were unable to play because of their injuries.

With them healthy this season and several key additions, this year's squad should better the 22-2-0 record of last year.

The key match for the Bruins will be on Nov. 1 as they face the Hoosiers of Indiana in a rematch of last year's NCAA semifinals. UCLA won that match 1-0 over Indiana in sudden-death overtime to secure a berth into the championship game.

"The Indiana rematch of the NCAA semifinals in 1994 and 1997 is definitely something everyone should be looking forward to," Schmid said. "I know we are."

However, the goal of the season lies farther down the road, during the month of December when the NCAA Championships will be held.

If history repeats itself, the Bruins again will live up to all of their expectations and claim the national title in Richmond, Va., for the second year in a row.

Martin Bruno, the second leading Bruin scorer, defends the ball against Matt Blasdel of the Gonzaga Bulldogs.

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