Bruins aim for No. 1 against Irish, Hoosiers

Bruins aim for No. 1 against Irish, Hoosiers

Men’s soccer vies for top ranking in weekend tourney

By Tim Costner

Daily Bruin Senior Staff

The UCLA men’s soccer season is almost two months old, but this
weekend is when it really begins.

The Bruins, currently ranked No. 4, host Notre Dame and No. 1
Indiana in the adidas/MetLife Classic starting today, and by the
time the weekend is over, UCLA could earn the top spot in the
nation.

The Bruins (14-1) have climbed steadily in the polls since late
last month, when UC Irvine handed them their only loss of the
season. And after battling back into the top five this month, UCLA
is poised to attain the NCAA’s top-ranking for the first time since
September 1991.

"If our team’s not excited about playing this weekend, they’re
in the wrong sport and in the wrong school," UCLA head coach Sigi
Schmid said. "This is why they came to UCLA ­ to be part of
events like this."

The tournament begins tonight at Spaulding Field, as Cal State
Fullerton (9-6-1) ­ which rounds out the event’s four-team
lineup ­ takes on the Hoosiers at 6 p.m. UCLA takes the field
against Notre Dame (8-8-1) at 8 p.m.

"I think (today’s) games are interesting games for us and
Indiana," Schmid said. "It’s important that we don’t look ahead,
and it’s important that Indiana doesn’t look ahead. Fullerton and
Notre Dame are both outstanding teams that are better teams than
their records indicate."

And if UCLA can manage that, then Sunday’s match against the
Hoosiers becomes the Bruins’ biggest game of the season to date
­ and easily their most difficult. Indiana has outscored its
opponents 50-4 in the last 15 games ­ UCLA has defeated its
opponents 42-11 this year.

"I think they’re certainly a good team," Schmid said. "They have
a midfield triangle of (Brian) Maisonneuve, (Todd) Yeagley and
(Brandon) Ward, who are all seniors and who have all started for
four years. In their minds, this is their year."

Sunday’s game depends on winning the battle in the midfield,
according to Schmid, and that means that UCLA’s Justin Selander,
Caleb Meyer and Greg Vanney have to rise to the occasion to shut
down the Hoosier offense. Indiana has three players who have 20
points or more this season ­ Maisonneuve, Yeagley and Jeff
Bannister.

"It’s their senior triangle against a junior, a sophomore and a
freshman," Schmid said. "This is a chance for our three guys to
show that they can really step up to play against an experienced
and proven group. If we can neutralize those three, I think that
will go a long way to neutralizing Bannister, because that will cut
out his service."

The game begins at 1 p.m. on the North Soccer Field, and CSUF
and Notre Dame play at 11 a.m. Admission is free for UCLA
students.