UCLA’s move to the Big 10 was a major talking point in the offseason. How would this coaching staff and a team of stars adjust to colder weather, longer road trips, and more frequent jetlag? The Bruins were a consensus top-three team in the nation coming into this season. UCLA was shockingly on the wrong end of some upsets in the first week of September, which caused them to stumble down the rankings. With just one loss since September 8, this team has hit their stride at the right time heading into the NCAA Tournament.
What stands out about this UCLA squad is that they are a truly unselfish team. Most teams have a go-to goalscorer who they can rely on to put the ball in the net. UCLA is the opposite; they share the ball, and their scoring is distributed across the roster. Rarely will you see a team with 18 different goal scorers. Their leading scorers, Sofia Cook and Bridgette Marin-Valencia, have only four goals each.
Head Coach Margueritte Aozasa has built a strong team in all phases of the game. Their defense and goalkeeping are elite. The Bruins feature arguably the best defensive one-two punch in the country, with Ryan Campbell in the net and Lilly Reale in defense. Without a doubt, both are going to First-Team All-Americans. UCLA has the best goals-against…
