Team prepares for Pac-10 play
Sophomore forward Sydney Leroux chases after the ball against Mizzou. Leroux has scored a total of 23 points this season including 11 goals and an assist. She also played for the U.S. national team this past summer.
By Daily Bruin Staff
Oct. 6, 2009 11:13 p.m.
The women’s soccer team opens Pac-10 play this weekend, hosting Arizona and Arizona State at Drake Stadium.
After beginning the season losing 7-2 at North Carolina and landing in a 1-1 double-overtime stalemate with San Diego, the No. 3 Bruins have won every game since then.
UCLA outscored its opponents 29-3 during that nine-game win streak, without surrendering more than a goal in any of those matches.
Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Chante Sandiford, who transferred from Villanova last season, has already registered four shutouts.
Most impressive has been sophomore forward Sydney Leroux, tallying 23 points, including 11 goals and an assist this season. This summer, Leroux starred in the Under-20 World Championships in Chile and led the national team to the title.
Senior forward Kristina Larsen, who was a spark off the bench last year, joins the starting lineup this season and ranks second in scoring with 17 points, including seven goals and three assists.
Olympic gold medalist senior forward Lauren Cheney has already contributed five goals and two assists for 12 points.
Redshirt senior Kara Lang, the fourth leading scorer on the team, sustained a season-ending injury in the Sept. 25 match against Cal State Northridge when she re-tore her ACL.
As the Bruins start their campaign of defending their six-time Pac-10 Championship title this week, their key games will be Oct. 18 against undefeated Stanford and Oct. 30 against USC.
Compiled by Rebecca Lee, Bruin Sports senior staff.
