Defense needs to gel vs. CSUF

By Brad Zucker
Daily Bruin Senior Staff

When Cal State Fullerton runs through the gates to Spaulding
Field on Wednesday, Dolores Browning will glance in the direction
of No. 9 for UCLA. She’ll wonder whether she will be forced to
match the Bruin all-time scoring leader goal for goal in the
evening contest.

After all, both players lead their respective teams in scoring
with 10 goals apiece. And to make matters worse for the visiting
Titans (6-2-0), Traci Arkenberg is coming off a record-setting game
in which she embarrassed the UC Irvine defense with four goals in a
5-1 Bruin victory.

But hold it right there.

Fullerton’s attacking offense has mustered 26 goals of its own,
giving UCLA (4-4-1) something to consider when constructing their
defensive scheme. Furthermore, the Titans have won six of their
last seven games, including four straight.

"We need to concentrate on playing strong 11-player defense,"
Bruin goalkeeper coach David Vanole said. "We need to defend from
the forward position backward and challenge the ball."

And that means giving freshman goalkeeper Lindsay Culp more help
than she has been getting. Last week against San Diego, Culp had
the unenviable challenge of having to defend against 22 shots, 19
of which came in the second half.

Nonetheless, the rookie goalie has done exceptionally well in
her first collegiate season. Having shut out four opponents, she
has posted a .96 goals-against average.

In fact, Culp has allowed only one goal in the past four games,
a standard that will be difficult to uphold against players like
Browning.

And unlike Arkenberg, Browning has been getting help from the
rest of her team in the scoring department. Arkenberg owns over
half of the Bruin goals this season (the current team total is 19),
including all four game-winners.

Against the Titans, that’s an awfully heavy load to carry.