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ED RHEE Senior midfielder Brandon Kay drives the ball through the field during Friday's game at the Pacific Soccer Classic.

More than O-Kay

Brandon Kay isn’t exactly sure why he received the 1997 California Interscholastic Federation Division I Defensive Player of the Year award.

After all, he played less than half a game in the backfield that season en route to the C.I.F. Championship while attending Royal High School.

Kay spent his entire sophomore year at sweeper, so after 1997’s sweeper started cramping up in the last game, Kay was thrown into the back for the last 20 or 30 minutes.

“They said there was no one better, so I was like ‘All right, whatever,’” Kay said.

And now Kay is using those defensive abilities to the help the Bruins in their quest for a playoff spot.

Kay, UCLA’s defensive midfielder, is in charge of controlling the middle of the field, whether it be through the air or with slide tackles.

“He’s an animal and wins every tackle and header,” forward Tim Pierce said.

“He’s a destroyer,” goalkeeper Zach Wells added.

Kay is allowed to go on offense every once in a while, but only on free kicks, long throws and corners. These are the situations where Kay can use his 5-foot-10 stature to become a threat in the air.

Beyond his aerial abilities, UCLA head coach Todd Saldaña praises Kay’s knowledge of the game. The senior midfielder can read the game extremely well and predict what is about to happen.

After he wins possession, Kay proceeds to start the UCLA offense by passing the ball to the more offensive-minded midfielders, Ryan Futagaki and Adolfo Gregorio.

“Just being able to control the center,” Kay said. “To be the solid guy back there. The guy that they depend on to always be there in the defense.”

Enfield threat

Freshman midfielder Mike Enfield could’ve gone straight into professional soccer, according to Saldaña.

A national team player at the under-18 level, Enfield enjoyed a great deal of youth soccer experience when he joined the Bruins this season. But it has taken him a while and only recently have his contributions really showed on the field.

Enfield had several strong runs through South Carolina defense in Sunday’s tie and is likely to earn more playing time.

“We knew at some point he would be a real threat for us, and it’s happening at a real important time,” Saldaña said.

Here and there

Junior midfielder Chadd Davis was selected to Soccer America’s Team of the Week after earning Offensive MVP honors at the Pacific Soccer Classic. His five points (2 goals, 1 assist) against St. Mary’s surpassed his career total of four coming into last Friday’s game ... Hermann Trophy finalist Alex Yi, a defender, was recently named as a candidate for Missouri Athletic Club men’s Player of the Year award ... No Pac-10 team has yet to win on the road, including No. 3 Stanford, whose only loss of the season came at UCLA. The Cardinal hopes UCLA doesn’t break the streak when the two face-off Friday in a rematch of the Bruins’ 2-1 victory: “I hope that continues for at least a week,” Stanford head coach Bret Simon said. “But then again, we’re on the road in the next couple of weeks.”

Notes compiled by Vytas Mazeika, Daily Bruin Senior Staff.

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