Tough tournament this weekend requires team focus
By Bob Costa
March 5, 2003 9:00 p.m.
After a lackluster 2-0 win over Missouri on Sunday, the No. 1
UCLA softball team is looking forward to the Hallowell Chevrolet
Classic in Fresno to sharpen its game against tougher competition
this weekend.
The tournament is hosted by Fresno State, an old adversary of
the 22-1 Bruins.
The two teams played for the NCAA championship in 1982 and from
1988 to 1990 ““ all resulting in UCLA victories.
“It’s a great rivalry in the sense that any time two
teams with reputations in the softball community get to face each
other, it’s a great rivalry,” coach Sue Enquist
said.
“We always look forward to going up to Fresno. Fresno has
an incredible fan base. There’s a lot of energy and
excitement over there.”
Fresno State, recently knocked out of the National Fastpitch
Coaches Association Top 25 poll, is only one of the challenges for
the Bruins.
UCLA also faces No. 12 DePaul, Brigham Young, Cal Poly San Luis
Obispo and St. John’s.
The team is coming off a good weekend at home, winning five
games by a combined score of 34-1.
There were many stars all around, as pitchers Keira Goerl and
Michelle Turner combined for four one-hitters and designated player
Claire Sua led the hitting, going 6-for-10 with two home runs.
Despite this, Sunday’s game against Missouri, in which the
Bruins had only two infield singles, had a lack of focus that
against better competition might result in a loss that would end
their 21-game winning streak.
However, players are not worried about a slip-up this
weekend.
“I’m not concerned,” second baseman Monique
Mejia said. “It’s something we have to look out for,
pay attention to, but I don’t think it’s any cause for
heightened awareness.”
“I think it’s more in the back of our minds,”
added Sua. “We did lose a bit of our focus on Sunday, but as
a team, as bad as it sounds, we can step it up when we need
to.”
Ңbull;Ӣbull;Ӣbull;
The schedule for UCLA at the Hallowell Chevrolet Classic goes as
follows:
Thursday, the Bruins play BYU at 5 p.m. Friday, UCLA plays St.
John’s at 4 p.m. Saturday, the Bruins play Cal Poly at 7 p.m.
And on Sunday, UCLA plays two games, the first against DePaul at 11
a.m., and the second against Fresno State at 1 p.m.
