Men’s soccer seniors surpass previous season, lead team to Elite Eight

Entering the 2014 season, a big reason for UCLA men’s soccer being ranked No. 4 in the country was its bevy of returning starters – most notably the 2013 Pac-12 Player of the Year Leo Stolz and all-conference goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr.

The senior attacking midfielder was the leading scorer on the UCLA team from a year earlier, which earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament, while the redshirt senior goalie was the returning team captain and defensive leader.

During the 2014 regular season, the two standouts lived up to the preseason hype, guiding the Bruins to an 11-4-4 record and the No. 2 overall seed in the NCAA tournament.

But so far this postseason, they have gone above and beyond what they’ve done in their previous two seasons as starters, leading UCLA (13-4-4) to its first Elite Eight appearance since 2011 – when Edwards Jr. was a reserve and Stolz a freshman at George Mason University.

The two senior leaders have put UCLA on the cusp of the College Cup by delivering standout performances when the Bruins have needed them most.

In UCLA’s second round game against San Diego on Nov. 23, Edwards Jr. blocked back-to-back, point-blank shots in overtime to keep UCLA’s season alive. Minutes later, Stolz came through with a golden goal to advance UCLA to the next round.

In the third round match against Cal on Sunday, both players added to their strong postseason starts. Stolz followed up his two-goal performance against USD with a two-assist performance against Cal, both coming on precisely placed crosses from the right wing to the far post.

On the other end of the pitch, Edwards Jr. prevented the nation’s No. 1 offense from completing a comeback. With the Bruins clinging to a 3-2 lead in the final 15 minutes, the redshirt senior keeper was both preemptive and perceptive, charging up in the box when necessary and constantly shouting out instructions to his teammates.

“Earl, he’s a great leader, great communicator. (He’s) very smart and tells us where to be, when to step,” said freshman left back Chase Gasper. “(He) makes my job and all the defense’s job much easier.”

Though Edwards Jr. is UCLA’s defensive leader, his victorious performance against Cal could not have been completed if not for some help from his offensive counterpart.

In the 20th minute, after Edwards Jr. went to the top of the box to deflect a corner kick, it was Stolz who had Edwards Jr.’s back, clearing Cal’s rebound shot off the line and keeping the game scoreless. If not for that clearance by Stolz, UCLA’s 3-2 win over Cal may not have been realized.

“(Stolz) really wants to lead this team, and lead this team to the College Cup,” coach Jorge Salcedo said. “He’s got an incredible amount of skill, an incredible amount of ability, but most importantly, he’s got some competitive greatness, and that’s what ultimately is the separator.”

With Stolz and Edwards Jr. leading the way, and two straight postseason wins under their belts, the Bruins appear to have the momentum at their backs heading into Saturday’s NCAA quarterfinal match against the North Carolina Tar Heels.

“We’re starting to get (together) as a whole team,” said junior midfielder Jordan Vale. “I think we’re on a roll right now.”