Q&A with senior defender Dea Cook

The women’s soccer team heads to College Station, Texas for its seventh-straight College Cup Berth this weekend in pursuit of its first national championship. All-Pac-10 senior defender Dea Cook, who started all 24 games for the Bruins this season, is going to the College Cup for the fourth-straight season. Before the Bruins hit the road, Cook chatted with the Daily Bruin’s Rebecca Lee about the College Cup, the season and her teammates.

Daily Bruin: You’re heading toward your fourth College Cup. How will this year be different from your previous three?

Dea Cook: I hate to say that it’s because it’s my last year, it seems more important. … I don’t feel that way, but I just think it kind of makes this upcoming weekend about cherishing every moment. I know that sounds cliche, but I think that just going into this weekend and knowing that this means a lot to the new girls and to the old girls, and just taking that opportunity … enjoy(ing) every moment of it.

DB: As demonstrated on Saturday, UCLA plays some lockdown defense. As starting defender, what is the team mentality that drives that?

DC: We take pride in our back line. We may not be the showy people in terms of who’s scoring and such ““ we love those people too ““ but just taking pride and working as a unit. We’re the defense. We’re the group that’s going to hold people away from scoring, that’s going to tackle, that’s going to be aggressive. I think it’s that aggressive mentality and just holding each other accountable.

DB: What has it been like living with your teammates Kylie Wright, Lauren Barnes, Jenna Belcher and Kara Lang?

DC: You would think it would be kind of overburdening to be living with a bunch of soccer girls all the time, but it’s so fun. We love coming home together and watching our shows together. It’s just so much fun to have them. … Ky and Lu always love scaring each other; they’re always having fun trying to scare us around the house. Jenna’s the sports girl. She’s always updating us on different sports scores while we’re just kind of like, “˜We don’t really care.’ … Everyone has their own personality, but we get along really well.

DB: Which shows do you watch?

DC: We love our “˜Vampire Diaries,’ our “˜Gossip Girl,’ our “˜90210,’ and “˜Melrose.’ Those are our shows.

DB: How do you think your teammates see you on and off the field?

DC: I hope that on the field, they could see me as dependable … an aggressive player … and someone that’s just stable and consistent. Off the field ““ I think, just being someone that’s available for them and someone that will listen to them ““ just someone that cares and knows about them. So that’s what I would hope they would feel.

DB: Your turn ““ describe your team/teammates.

DC: My team/teammates are kind of like my roommates ““ how we have just a bunch of different characters. I’ll give you some examples. Whitney Sharpe and Dana Wall, Yiana Dimmitt ““ those girls, they’re our humor engine on the team. And then you just have the very sweet and caring people like Alana (Munger). I’m not going to be able to name everyone, but I love that there are so many different characters on this team, yet we really do all get along.

DB: Do you have any pregame rituals or superstitions?

DC: I would say I’m not a very superstitious person, but I do have little habits. I always take a nap, literally, right after our pregame meal for about an hour. My roommates know that; they turn off the lights for me. (I) generally eat these weird things ““ banana(s) ““ like right before our pregame talk. I don’t have to, but I like to. And then every single time before the game, there’s a group of us that get together and pray ““ a group of us; whoever wants to.

DB: So, what’s next for you?

DC: Time! Time to do whatever I want to do! I’m just going to focus on school the next two quarters. And I actually just stopped working, so (I’m) thinking about some internships, kind of staying in the fitness world, looking to do something, and probably, go back to school after this year.