All things considered, UCLA women’s soccer coach Jill Ellis couldn’t be happier heading into the final weekend before Pac-10 play begins.
Injuries, graduation, and national team duties have ravaged the Bruins’ roster. Yet UCLA (6-2) has shut out three consecutive playoff teams, and appears to finally be getting healthier as it prepares to host Utah (6-2-1) and No. 15 Santa Clara (6-2-1).
“We have the No. 2 schedule in the country, and we’ve been down starters almost every week, so to be where we are, I’m pleased,” Ellis said.
“We just have to close out our non-conference season this weekend and get ready for the Pac-10.”
UCLA will be as close to full strength as it has been this season, particularly on the backline. Sophomore Mary Castelanelli, who has been sidelined by a back injury, will make her return tonight after a brief stint in training camp with the U.S. Under-19 National Team. Michelle Gleason, who is recovering from a high ankle sprain, is also likely to play.
The only starter not healthy enough to play is senior midfielder Lindsay Greco, who tore a hamstring and will likely be sidelined for the next three weeks.
“We’ve had a lot of injuries and we have a lot of new faces, but we’re finally starting to click,” senior defender Kendal Billingsley said. “Everyone is finally starting to figure out how to play together.”
This weekend presents one final opportunity for UCLA to gel as a team before it gets into the meat of its schedule.
Three consecutive wins over Southern Methodist, Texas A&M, and Pepperdine have buoyed the Bruins’ spirits, but Ellis says her team has not hit its stride.
“We’ve just been juggling the lineup, and it’s hard to find a rhythm,” Ellis said.
“Different units have played well at different times, but we haven’t really put it all together.”
The Bruins will have that chance again this weekend against a pair of regional powers. Utah, the defending Mountain West Conference champion, has already played a pair of Pac-10 teams, dropping its opener at Stanford, 3-0, before routing Washington State.
The match-up with the Utes should be good preparation for a showdown with perennial power Santa Clara on Sunday.
Utah coach Rich Manning, a Santa Clara alumnus, was an assistant coach with the Broncos for four years, and his team plays a similar style.
“It was nice that it worked out that way,” Ellis said.
Including Utah and Santa Clara, UCLA has played eight non-conference teams that earned NCAA Tournament berths last season. In spite of all the injuries and the difficult schedule, the Bruins are just a solid weekend away from getting through it unscathed.
“We’ve got tremendous talent,” Ellis said.
“If we can find our rhythm, we’re going to be a great team.”