Friday, October 31, 1997
Team's Arizona trip could yield new record
W. SOCCER: If they win both games, the Bruins will be
the best ever - officially
By Chris Umpierre
Daily Bruin Contributor
Records figure to be broken when the No. 15 Bruins (13-2-0, 5-0) line up against the Arizona schools this weekend.
Arguably the best women's soccer team in school history, they will not only attempt to beat the Arizona Wildcats at 2 p.m. today at Spaulding Field and the Arizona State Sun Devils at 4 p.m. Sunday at Spaulding Field, but to put their names into the school record books.
Among the many records the Bruins are on the brink of breaking this weekend is the most victories in a season.
If the Bruins beat Arizona (8-7-1,2-3) and Arizona State (10-5-0, 4-1) this weekend, it will make this 1997 team the best in school history.
Another record the Bruins are about to topple is the consecutive game-winning record of six. The team has already tied the record, with consecutive wins over the University of San Francisco, UC Berkeley, Stanford, Oregon, Oregon State and, recently, No. 19 USC.
Senior and co-captain Traci Arkenberg is also on the verge of breaking some of her prior set records.
Arkenberg, unquestionably the best player in school history, saved her best season for her senior campaign. She currently has 43 points total (18 goals and 7 assists), which ties the school record for most points in a season that she set in 1995. Her 18 goals is also tied with the school record for most goals scored in a season.
There is a good chance that both records will fall over the weekend because Arkenberg has been torrid of late, scoring a goal in each of the last five games (which includes four game-winning goals).
But the most important record to Arkenberg and the rest of the squad will probably not be broken this weekend. The Bruins, who are currently perfect in the Pac-10 at 5-0, will capture their first Pac-10 title in school history if the team is able to beat the Arizona schools this weekend and the Washington schools next weekend.
The Trojans weren't the only people who had trouble in UCLA's 3-1 victory over them last Sunday in Spaulding Field.
The ushers for the game also faced some difficulty during the game.
Due to the record 2,373 spectators that came to the match, the ushers had to work overtime to find places for them to sit in Spaulding Field, which wasn't designed for so many people. They had to make room in front of the press table and on the sidelines to accommodate the biggest crowd to watch a women soccer game in school history.