October 26, 2007

UCR women's soccer team tries to make push for playoffs

By ALLAN STEELE
The Press-Enterprise

RIVERSIDE - Two and zero. Those are the numbers that most concern the UC Riverside women's soccer team.

Two is the number of games the Highlanders have left. They'll likely need to win both to reach the Big West Tournament.

Zero is the number of goals UCR has scored the past two games, meaning the squad will have to find a way to kick the offense into gear to reach the postseason.

The Highlanders play host to Cal State Fullerton on Sunday in the home finale and then face UC Irvine next weekend. Both teams are ahead of UCR in the Big West standings.

"I don't see it as a must-win, it's a want-to-win," forward Tessa Lennala said of Sunday's game. "It's important that we make it to the Big West Tournament, but this is for pride. We had two rough games this past week. We just need to be ready to go."

Losses to Cal State Northridge and Long Beach State last week dropped the Highlanders to fifth place in the conference, two points behind Cal Poly for the fourth and final playoff spot.

UCR and Cal State Fullerton have brewed a pretty good rivalry over the years -- the Titans beat UCR two years ago in the Big West finals and defeated UCR in double overtime a year ago -- so Sunday's game should spark plenty of emotion. The Highlanders also hope it sparks some offense.

"I think this group thrives on it," Coach Veronica O'Brien said of the pressure. "That's when they're at their best. They really get locked in focus-wise."

Lennala, a junior out of Temecula Chaparral High, leads the Big West with eight goals. Natalie Ducatenzeiler, a freshman out of Temecula Valley, also has emerged. Ducatenzeiler has four goals and is tied for the team high with three assists.

"She has been the focal point to rely on getting us some offense because of having key offensive players out (with injuries)," O'Brien said of Lennala. "We know we can count on her. She can strike at any moment in a match."

Cal State Fullerton has given up just three goals in six conference games. The one advantage UCR may hold is having the game at home.

"It's just an all-out kind of dogfight," Lennala said of the rivalry. "It always goes back and forth. That's just what it is. No one on this team wants to lose to Fullerton again."

As for finding some offense, O'Brien said it's more that just hoping Lennala or Ducatenzeiler finds the back of the net.

"One of our greatest strengths in our program has been on the defensive side of the ball," O'Brien said. "You can't defend well, you can't attack. The thing we haven't done well the past couple of games is defend well as a unit. It hasn't allowed us to attack well."

That will have to change the next two games if UCR hopes to reach the postseason. O'Brien isn't shying away from the phrase "must-win."

"We need to win, that's going to help us," Ducatenzeiler said. "We're the kind of team that if we're mentally fired up, we play that much better."