Bruins defeat Santa Clara hands down in playoffs

Monday, November 24, 1997

Bruins defeat Santa Clara hands down in playoffs

M. SOCCER:

Team didn’t let history recur; will face tough Huskies next
roundBy Vytas Mazeika

Daily Bruin Staff

After their 3-0 first round NCAA playoff victory over Santa
Clara, the fifth-seeded UCLA men’s soccer team can now breathe a
sigh of relief.

The courageous Broncos (10-9) tried to match the more talented
Bruins (18-2) step-by-step on Sunday at Spaulding Field. But after
suffering a second-round upset to Santa Clara in 1995, Bruins who
participated in that game ­ like forward Nick Theslof and
midfielder Tom Poltl ­ were not about to let history repeat
itself.

"In our minds, we weren’t going to let that happen today,"
Theslof said.

"I feel that justice was served," Poltl added.

The game was very tense for the Bruins, who were under constant
pressure from the Broncos for the early part of the game.

UCLA was able to regain control of the match and controlled much
of the midfield play after Santa Clara’s desperate efforts to score
early. Then in the 40th minute, a wild flurry of events led to the
first and eventual game-winning goal of the game.

Bruin midfielder Pete Vagenas took a ball on the top of the box
and his first kick deflected off Bronco goalkeeper Joe Cannon.
Vagenas got his foot on the ball again, but this time Santa Clara
defender Jay Totten touched the ball with his hand and apparently
saved the goal when the ball hit the top of the cross-bar.

But Bruin midfielder Nick Paneno happened to be near the ball
and without ever letting the ball hit the ground, Paneno leaped
into the air and with his left foot found the back of the net.

"The guy actually made a great save," Paneno joked. "But I was
in the right place at the right time … It might have seemed weird
to the crowd that I didn’t celebrate, but it was definitely a
memorable goal for me."

The reason Paneno didn’t celebrate was because the officials had
a conference to decide whether to eject the Bronco player for his
handball and award UCLA a penalty kick or to allow the goal to
stand.

After the officials allowed the goal to stand, Santa Clara
didn’t look like the same team.

"I think the score indicates how well UCLA played," Santa Clara
head coach Mitch Murray. "I don’t think it indicates what kind of
team we have … They earned the game and I wish them the
best."

The second half was almost all UCLA, with Santa Clara putting
pressure near the end and leaving their defense open to
counter-attacks by forwards Martin Bruno and Seth George ­ who
scored the second and third goals respectively.

Bruno’s goal from point-blank range was both the security the
Bruins needed and a surprise because of how open Bruno was after a
Poltl pass in the heart of the Bronco defense.

"I thought I was offside," Bruno said.

"I didn’t mean to pass it to him," Poltl said.

But after being told by Bruno that the ball was heading wide,
Poltl jokingly changed his statement.

"It wasn’t going in? Then it was a perfect pass."

UCLA will now get ready to face Washington (2-1 winners over
Stanford in double overtime) next Sunday. The Bruins will need a
little more of Poltl’s "perfection," Bruno’s "luck," and George’s
scoring in order to defeat a tough Husky team.