Men’s, Women’s teams have high expectations

By Michael Sneag
Daily Bruin Contributor

Every team needs a defining moment to prove what it knows but
has yet to show everybody else. The  No. 18 UCLA women’s
cross country team is hoping to use the NCAA preview meet in South
Carolina this weekend to prove that they are a national power to be
reckoned with. Bryan Green will be the lone entry from the
men’s team, due to a rash of recent injuries.

Green is out to prove that he has recovered from his recent
chest cold that caused him to miss last weekend’s meet and to
finish 150th at the Griak Invitational the previous week.

That finish broke his streak of finishing in the top 10 of every
regular season meet since last year. He is looking to regain the
momentum that helped him win his first major meet at the Sundodger
Invitational on Sept. 22.

“I am going in with realistic expectations,” Green
said. “I am going to make it as productive a race as I can
make it, but that will be relative to how I feel race day. I am
hoping I will be able to race on Saturday and not even think about
the cough, and I am confident that my experience will be able to
compensate for the setback.”

The women’s team is looking to continue their impressive
recent performances and are excited to get back on the track after
all but five runners were given a rest last weekend. Even the
“B” team performed well at the Arizona State
Invitational, finishing second overall to powerhouse Stanford. The
team is looking to make a statement this weekend.

“I am definitely expecting our team to do well,”
freshman Lori Mann said.

“Our workouts have shown that we are strong and mentally
prepared. We are excited about competing at a high level because we
want to prove to the nation that UCLA is one of the top teams out
there.”

The top seven being sent to South Carolina include freshman
standout Alejandra Barrientos, who has been the top Bruin finisher
at every race this year, along with junior Elaine Canchola,
sophomores Valerie Flores and Jessica Marr and freshmen Mann,
Carmen Winant and Carolyn Shea.

As always, health is a major concern, and the team has not been
totally free of problems. Canchola has finally recovered from her
numerous ailments, but Barrientos has been slowed by illness in the
last week. Her teammates still expect her to contribute this
weekend, but they don’t need her to carry them.

“Alejandra has been sick so she hasn’t been doing
much running, at least as much as the rest of us,” Canchola
said. “But we can definitely count on her. She is too strong
to be held back. All of our workouts have been awesome, and
it’s going to show in our race.”