History is made

Monday, November 10, 1997

History is made

RECAP: Women’s team wins first Pac-10 championship this weekend
with perfect season

By Chris Umpierre

Daily Bruin Contributor

It has been a long journey for the UCLA women’s soccer
program.

Five years ago the program was born as it transformed from a
club sport to a division one program.

In its first years, it was known as a lowly sister to the
nationally renowned UCLA men’s team. When people thought about UCLA
soccer they would think about the men’s team, with their numerous
national championships and playoff appearances, oftentimes
forgetting about the women’s team.

This year, the women’s team has made people take notice.

The journey hit its pinnacle this weekend when the No. 13 UCLA
women’s soccer team (17-2, 9-0) won their first Pac-10 championship
in school history by defeating Washington (2-0 on Friday night) and
Washington State (4-0 on Sunday) on Spaulding Field. Their perfect
9-0 mastery of the Pac-10 makes UCLA the first team in conference
history to do so.

"The program has gone from a Californian known team to a
nationally known team," Senior Traci Arkenberg said, who has played
an instrumental role in the program’s success. "As seniors, going
from the very beginning where no one knew who UCLA was, to now a
nationally ranked team has been phenomenal."

"We are now a nationally known team that can fight for a
position in the playoffs and maybe in the final four," Arkenberg
continued. "So I think the team’s really come a long way."

A long way is an understatement. UCLA women’s soccer can now be
mentioned in the same sentence as the men’s team. UCLA women’s
soccer is officially on the map.

"I think around the country the success this season has put
(UCLA women’s soccer) on the map," UCLA head coach Joy Fawcett,
who’s been at the helm of the program since it’s birth, said. "I
know when I travel abroad people are always telling me ‘God, you
guys are doing well,’ and ‘Wow, you’re having a great season.’ This
year’s success has opened up a lot of people’s eyes."

A lot of people’s eyes are indeed open as the program is finally
receiving some national recognition, as evidenced from its jump in
the national polls to 13th in the nation.

"Every team has to look for (UCLA)," Arkenberg said. "Every team
has to go ‘Oh, we are playing UCLA.’ I think that’s a big thing for
us. Just to know that everyone looks out for us instead of us
looking for everyone else. When we go play a UCONN or a BYU they
must look for us because we will give them a tough game."

This wasn’t the case in the first years of the program as the
team went 10-6-1 in its first year as a division one sport. Despite
an improved 11-4-3 record in their second year, UCLA still didn’t
get national recognition as they were denied a spot in the playoffs
in spite of their excellent record.

The upperclassmen, especially the seniors, have personally saw
the program rise from mediocrity to a current national contender
this year. The satisfaction they feel is well- deserved.

"It feels like we made a difference," Arkenberg said. "It feels
like we accomplished our goal that we set out to do. I feel like we
deserve it. We put four years of hard work in and it’s finally paid
off. I really feel the seniors have done what they have set out to
do."

It has been the experience of the seven seniors on the squad
with the combination of some underclassmen which have made this
season the best in school history.

The team’s success has hinged on their excellent combination of
offense and defense. Their offense, headed by Arkenberg (the no.
15th scorer in the nation), is one of the most powerful, not only
in the conference, but in the nation.

The Bruins’ defense is also a force to be reckoned with.

"A perfect example is we can compare ourselves to USC," senior
defender Rhi Tanaka, who has been instrumental in leading the
defense, said. "Their defense wasn’t that strong and so a lot of
teams were scoring big on them even though their offense was
scoring big they were still weak in the back. So unless you have a
strong offense and strong defense you won’t win."

"It’s not a single player; it’s not offense or defense; teams
win championships", Arkenberg said.

Great play on both sides of the ball for the squad was no better
displayed than in the matches this weekend.

While scoring six goals over the weekend, the Bruin defense
stymied the Washington schools with two shutouts. Arkenberg scored
three goals, raising her scoring output to 52 points (22 goals and
8 assists).

Goalie Lindsay Culp spearheaded the defense to its ninth and
tenth shutouts of the season, which include three in a row. The
Bruins will now prepare themselves for the playoffs.

The journey will continue for the Bruins as the team will
attempt to open more eyes as they strive for a national
championship.