Bruins Face First Real Test Weekend!

After playing and hosting two exhibition matches, the UCLA Men's Soccer team travels to College Park, MD to face 2008-09 Champion Maryland on Friday, Rounding out the trip, this year's squad will also face Georgetown on Sunday as the regular 2009 season gets underway.

Good News - Bad News

The Good news is that two Bruins were named by Thomas Rongren to the U20 Men's National Team to compete in the U-20 FIFA World Cup in Egypt September 24th thru October 16th.  Only one other school had as many players named (Notre Dame).

The Bad news is that both Brian Perk and Michael Stephens could potentially miss half the PAC 10 conference games should the U.S. team go deep in the WC tournament.  

This may require the Bruin underclassmen to step it up in both of these guys' absence.  A few new guys  have begun to do just that.  Freshman Dakota Collins scored his first collegiate goal on an assist from fellow freshman Amobi Okugo against Cal State Bakersfield with freshman Evan Raynr scoring an equalizing goal vs. UC Irvine for his first.

Injury Note: Pre-Season Hermann Award candidate Kyle Nakazawa subbed off early after only playing 18 minutes versus the "Eaters" on Saturday (concussion?)  "Naka" was hampered with injuries all last season. Let's hope there is nothing serious as in the absence of fellow seniors Perk and Stephens, the Bruins will need his senior leadership this season.

Soccer America ranks the 2009 Recruiting Class as the No. 3 class in the nation.

College Soccer News gives the same class as 4 1/2 star (5 being the highest) rank.

Click here to read

Here's a link to a podcast  to last week's interview with Head Coach Jorge Salcedo that discusses the recruiting class, the out of conference schedule, last year's early exit from the NCAA tourney, etc.  

Click to hear

With last night's win over the Huskies, the Bruins are 5-1-4 in their last ten games garnering three consecutive shut-outs.  

The challenge will be to keep from letting down against Oregon State Sunday (as they did vs. Stanford after the big win against Cal two weeks ago!)

I anticipate a very big game vs a well rested Cal team (they had a bye week) Halloween night at Drake Stadium.  

Go Bruins!