Bruins in Semifinal Rematch with Undefeated Indiana

This Week -- No. 5 seed UCLA (20-2, ranked No. 2 by Soccer America) will make its ninth NCAA Final Four appearance when it faces No. 1 seed Indiana (23-0, ranked No. 1 by Soccer America) in the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins and Hoosiers will play Friday, Dec. 12 at 12:30 pm PST at Richmond Stadium in Richmond, VA. Virginia (18-3-3, ranked No. 6) and Saint Louis (16-4-4, ranked No. 12) have also advanced to the semifinals and will play Friday, Dec. 12 at 3:30 pm PST. UCLA's semifinal game, as well as the championship game, will be televised live on Fox Sports West.

PRACTICE SCHEDULE: The UCLA Men's Soccer team will practice Monday, Dec. 8 and Tuesday, Dec. 9 at Jackie Robinson Stadium on Sepulveda and Constitution from 7:30-9:30 pm. Please call UCLA Assistant Media Relations Director Liza David at 310-206-8140 to make arrangements to attend practices those days.

BRUINS ON THE ROAD: To reach a member of the UCLA Soccer team at Richmond, please contact Liza David at 804-672-8585 starting Wednesday afternoon, Dec. 10.

The Final Four -- The Best of the Best -- This year's Final Four has shaped up to be arguably the most attractive matchup in history, matching four of the most successful teams in NCAA soccer history. In the semifinals are 10-time NCAA champions Saint Louis, five-time NCAA champs Virginia (No. 2 seed), three-time champs Indiana (No. 1 seed) and two-time winners UCLA (No. 5 seed). These four teams have more NCAA Final Four appearances than any other schools -- Saint Louis with 16, Indiana with 11, and UCLA and Virginia with nine apiece. This year's Final Four is the first to feature four teams that are all previous champions.

UCLA's NCAA Championship History -- UCLA is making its 25th overall and 15th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins won titles in 1985 and 1990 and have finished second three times (1970, '72 and '73) and third twice (1984, 1994). UCLA has advanced to collegiate soccer's Final Four nine times now and has a record of 7-7. This is UCLA's third semifinal appearance in this decade and first since 1994. Head coach Sigi Schmid has guided the Bruins to NCAA berths in 16 of his 18 seasons and has an NCAA Tournament record of 25-12. Schmid's Bruins have reached the semifinals five times in his coaching career, and he was involved in three semifinals as a player at UCLA from 1972-75. The Bruins' all-time NCAA record is 38-23.

Reis, Keller get Second Chance against Indiana in Rematch -- Three years after losing 1-4 in the 1994 semifinals against Indiana, seniors Matt Reis and Josh Keller will get a chance to avenge that loss. In that 1994 game, goalkeeper Matt Reis, then a redshirt freshman and No. 2 goalie behind Chris Snitko, was thrust into a starting role after Snitko was red-carded in the quarterfinals. Reis faced 16 shots and made six saves in the game but allowed four goals. Keller played the entire second half, and senior forward Nick Theslof suited but did not play in the game. Defender Kevin Coye, who will be unable to play in this year's match due to a season-ending knee injury, played 36 minutes. For Indiana, Caleb Porter, who scored the game-winning goal in the 43rd minute of the game and also assisted on the Hoosiers' last goal, is the only remaining Hoosier who played in that game.

Tennyson, Jr., Fundenberger Reunite on Opposite Sides -- High school teammates a year ago and now opponents on the field, UCLA freshman McKinley Tennyson, Jr. and Indiana freshman Matt Fundenberger will reunite when their teams meet in the semifinals. Tennyson, Jr. and Fundenberger were teammates at four-time State champions North Central HS in Indianapolis, IN. Both players had storied prep careers: Tennyson, Jr. earned Parade and NSCAA/Umbro All-American honors twice and was named Gatorade State Player of the Year in both 1995 and 1996; Fundenberger also earned State Player of the Year honors in 1996 and was an NSCAA/Umbro All-American. At Indiana, Fundenberger has scored 13 goals and 29 points in mostly a reserve role. Tennyson, Jr. has been successful as well as a collegiate, racking up seven goals and six assists for 20 points. He has made starts in 10 of 21 games played and has started UCLA's last six games, all of which were victories.

Game Notes -- UCLA and Indiana will play at 3:30 pm, which bodes well for the Bruins. UCLA is undefeated this year in day games, holding a 14-0-0 record. By contrast, the Bruins are 6-2 in night games. Also, UCLA played Indiana in the second semifinal game in 1994 and lost. This year, UCLA and Indiana will play in the first semifinal game.

A Look at the Bruins -- The Bruins ended the regular season as ranked No. 2 by Soccer America, behind undefeated Indiana. The Bruins are a very balanced team, averaging nearly three goals scored per game while giving up an average of just 0.64 goals per game. Junior forward Seth George leads the team with 14 goals, 10 assists, six game-winning goals and 38 points. On defense, a strong backfield led by freshman defender Carlos Bocanegra, sophomore defender Steve Shak and senior goalkeeper Matt Reis have contributed to 12 shutouts. UCLA's 20 victories this season is the most a Bruin team has compiled since it won 20 games in the 1985 NCAA Championship season. The school record is 21 victories, achieved in 1965.

A Look at the Hoosiers -- Indiana has had a perfect season thus far, compiling a 23-0 record. The Hoosiers have scored 83 goals this year and are led offensively by Dema Kovalenko (20g, 3a, 43 pts.). Five other Indiana players have scored 25 or more points this season -- Aleksey Korol (35), Chris Klein (32), Matt Fundenberger (29) Lazo Alavanja (29) and Yuri Lavrinenko (26). Indiana's defense has been just as strong, allowing just 13 goals. Goalkeeper T.J. Hannig holds a GAA of 0.53 and has 10 shutouts. Indiana has won three NCAA Championships (1982, 1983 and 1988).

Yeagley Looking for Second Perfect Season -- Indiana head coach Jerry Yeagley has been there before. The 1997 Big Ten Coach of the Year was a part of the 1961 West Chester team that was the first school to go unbeaten and untied en route to an NCAA title. West Chester was one of just six schools to do that, the last being Howard, which went 19-0-0 when it won the NCAA Championship in 1974. Yeagley is two wins away from coaching his Hoosiers to that same feat.

Three Hoosiers Finalists for Player of the Year -- Lazo Alavanja is one of five finalists for the Missouri Athletic Club Player of the Year Award, given to the top American-born or naturalized collegiate player. Dema Kovalenko and Caleb Porter are finalists for the Hermann Trophy, which is the oldest (originated in 1967) award honoring college soccer's finest player.

The Series vs. Indiana -- Indiana leads the overall series 5-4 and defeated UCLA 4-1 in the teams' only NCAA matchup in 1994. UCLA did win the last meeting in 1996, 1-0 in overtime at Indiana. In that game last year, Seth George scored the game's only goal off an assist by Junior Gonzalez one and a half minutes into the first overtime period. UCLA's defense, which included current senior Jimmy Conrad, held Indiana to just five shots on goal.

A Look at the Cavaliers -- Five-time NCAA champions Virginia (1989, 91, 92, 93, 94) enter the semifinals with an 18-3-3 record and a seven-game win streak. The Cavaliers are led by Hermann Trophy finalist Ben Olsen (17 g, 16 a, 50 pts.) and forward Matt Leonard (14 g, 6a, 34 pts.). Junior goalkeeper Brock Yetso carries a 0.82 goals against average. The Cavaliers are making their NCAA-leading 17th consecutive playoff appearance and 19th overall.

The Series vs. Virginia -- UCLA and Virginia have only met twice. The Bruins won the first matchup 2-1 in 1984, and the Cavaliers won the last meeting 3-0 in 1988.

A Look at the Billikens -- Saint Louis has the richest NCAA tradition of the tradition-filled 1997 Final Four teams. The Billikens have won 10 NCAA titles (1959, 60, 62, 63, 65, 67, 69, 70, 72, 73) and have participated in the NCAA tournament a record 36 times. Saint Louis also holds the record for most Final Four appearances with 16.

The Series vs. Saint Louis -- The Billikens lead the overall series 7-3, but all seven of those victories (including four in the Final Four) came in the 1970s. UCLA head coach Sigi Schmid remembers most of those losses all too well. He played on the 1972, 1973 and 1974 teams that lost to Saint Louis in the NCAAs. UCLA has won two straight, defeating Saint Louis 3-2 last season at UCLA's Pacific Soccer Classic and again in 1997 2-0 at Saint Louis' Umbro Classic. Seth George and McKinley Tennyson, Jr. scored the goals for UCLA in this year's match, and Matt Reis recorded the shutout. In last year's victory, Tom Poltl scored the game-winner. Nick Theslof and Sasha Victorine also recorded goals.

Matching Up UCLA with the Final Four Teams --

Category                  UCLA   Indiana   Virginia   Saint Louis
Overall Record          20-2-0    23-0-0     18-3-3        16-4-4
Home Record             13-0-0    13-0-0     12-0-2         8-1-2
Road Record              5-1-0     6-0-0      3-3-1         5-3-2
Record vs. Ranked Teams  5-0-0    13-0-0      5-1-3         6-2-2
Record vs. NCAA Teams    6-0-0     7-0-0      6-1-3         9-3-3
Goals Scored                64        83         58            35
Goals Allowed               14        13         21            16
Shutouts                    11        13          8            10
Shots                      329       368        417           287
Corner Kicks               149       181        172           130
NCAA Championships           2         3          5            10
Final Four Appearances       9        11          9            16
NCAA Appearances            25        22         19            36
Overall NCAA Wins           38        44         33            59  

Bruins Rally to Defeat Clemson 2-1 in Quarterfinals -- After falling behind 1-0 at halftime, UCLA rallied to score two unanswered goals in the second half, winning 2-1 over Clemson in the quarterfinals. UCLA's equalizer came in the 59th minute when Martin Bruno was taken down in the penalty area. Pete Vagenas knocked in the ensuing penalty kick which tied the game at one. Bruno scored the game-winner nine minutes later when he hit a 24-yard shot that skidded to the left post into the net past Clemson goalie Matt Jordan. The win was UCLA's first victory when trailing at the half this season and also its 21st consecutive home victory.

Second Round Wrap-Up -- UCLA defenders Jimmy Conrad, Carlos Bocanegra and Steve Shak and goalkeeper Matt Reis were the stars for the Bruins, which defeated Washington 1-0 in the second round in a game that was postponed a day due to rain. Seth George scored the game's only goal in the 16th minute, and the defense held off a strong Washington second-half attack which pushed as many as four forwards up to try to equalize. Reis recorded his third consecutive post-season shutout.

First Round Wrap-Up -- The Bruins defeated Santa Clara for the first time ever in NCAA play, 3-0. Nick Paneno scored the game-winner when a Pete Vagenas shot bounced off the crossbar right to Paneno's feet in front of a wide-open net. Martin Bruno and Seth George also scored for UCLA.

As Keller Goes, So Do the Bruins -- Due to various injuries, senior midfielder Josh Keller (Laguna Niguel/Santa Margarita HS) missed the NCAA playoffs his sophomore and junior seasons. As a freshman, Keller was a key reserve in UCLA's 1994 Final Four team. In 1995, however, Keller underwent back surgery and watched his team lose in the second round of the NCAAs. Last season, Keller played the first 12 games before suffering a strained medial collateral ligament that forced him out of the post-season again. That 1996 team lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. This year, however, Keller has a clean bill of health, and the Bruins are once again in the Final Four. Keller has scored a career-high seven goals and 19 points in his injury-free season.

George Score = UCLA Victory -- When forward Seth George (Mission Viejo/Santa Margarita HS) scores, odds are that UCLA will win the game. When he registers a goal or assist, UCLA is 15-0. When he is held scoreless, UCLA is just 5-2. George leads the team in all scoring statistics -- goals scored (14), assists (10), game-winning goals (6) and points (38). George assisted on three of Martin Bruno's four goals against UC Santa Barbara in the regular season finale, helping allow Bruno tie George's own single-game goals scored record. George ranks fourth on the UCLA single-season game-winning goals list with six and ranks fourth on the career list with 11.

Central Midfield a Concern as Vagenas, Victorine Go Down -- As if losing Missouri Athletic Club Player of the Year nominee Sasha Victorine (torn ACL) wasn't bad enough, Victorine's replacement, sophomore midfielder Pete Vagenas (Pasadena/St. Francis HS) suffered an ankle injury in the 76th minute of the Clemson game. Vagenas' status for the Championships is uncertain. Victorine is a member of the U.S. Under-20 national team and a second-team All-Far West selection in 1996. He suffered the season-ending injury Sept. 28 in a game against Fresno State and soon after underwent surgery. In his absence, Vagenas has controlled the midfield and possession for UCLA like a pro and has been a big contributor to 12 UCLA shutouts. Vagenas ranks second on the team in assists, recording a career-high eight. He assisted on the game-winner against Santa Clara in the NCAA first round and scored the tying goal against Clemson with a penalty kick.

Conrad Fills in for Coye -- Like Vagenas, senior defender Jimmy Conrad (Temple City/Temple City HS) had big shoes to fill when fellow senior Kevin Coye (Huntington Beach/Ocean View HS) went down Nov. 23 with a knee injury. Coye, who suffered a partial tear of the medial collateral ligament in his knee that will sideline him for another four weeks, was recently named to the All-MPSF Pacific Division first team. But, like Vagenas with Victorine, Conrad has stepped up and taken over the reigns of the defense. Conrad's solid play in the back was key in UCLA's shutouts against Santa Clara and Washington.

Reis' Waiting Game Pays Off -- Senior goalkeeper Matt Reis (Mission Viejo/Santa Margarita HS) patiently waited his turn for four years, playing the backup role behind former Bruin greats and current Major League Soccer players Chris Snitko (Kansas City Wizards) and Kevin Hartman (formerly Los Angeles Galaxy, now with the Chicago Fire). Now, after biding his time and learning from his predecessors and goalkeeper coach and former Bruin standout David Vanole, Reis is enjoying his time in the starting lineup in his fifth year with the UCLA program. In 17 games started in 1997, Reis has given up just 12 goals, carrying a 0.74 goals against average. He has recorded seven solo shutouts and a career-high 55 saves. Three of those seven shutouts have come in post-season play.

Rimando Ready if Needed -- As Matt Reis found out in his freshman season of 1994, anything can happen, and even the No. 2 goalkeeper can get some major playing time in the NCAA Championships. Should that happen this year, UCLA will be in the very capable hands of freshman backup goalie Nick Rimando (Montclair/Montclair HS). Rimando has started five games this year, giving up just one goal (0.19 GAA). Despite playing in just seven games total, Rimando was voted onto the honorable mention All-MPSF Pacific Division team. He has recorded two solo shutouts and held a streak of 450 minutes without giving up a goal to begin the season. Rimando is the U.S. Under-18 National Team goalkeeper and has been a part of the Under-20 National Team as well.

The Super Sub - 1997 Edition -- Following in the footsteps of roommate Seth George, sophomore forward Martin Bruno (Copenhagen, Denmark/Terra Linda HS) has taken over the role of the Super Sub this season. Like George, who totalled nine goals and three assists off the bench last year (12 goals, 7 assists overall), Bruno has scored 11 goals and two assists (24 points) off the bench in a purely reserve role. He and George are the only two Bruins to play in all 22 games this year, and Bruno has come off the bench in every one of them. Last season, Bruno scored eight of his 10 points off the bench. Against UC Santa Barbara in the regular season finale, Bruno tied George's single-game school record with four goals. All four goals came in the second half.

Bocanegra Strong Freshman of the Year Candidate -- The strong, consistent play of freshman defender Carlos Bocanegra (Alta Loma/Alta Loma HS) has made him one of the top candidates for Freshman of the Year. Bocanegra has led a UCLA defense which has given up just 14 goals this season and shut out 12 opponents. He has also been an offensive threat, scoring five goals and three assists (13 points). Bocanegra, the only freshman named to the All-MPSF Pacific Division team, has scored two game-winning goals this year.

Shak Attack -- Unheralded sweeper Steve Shak (Cerritos/Gahr HS) has made great strides since walking on to the UCLA Soccer team. Shak, who played nary a minute last season as a freshman, made waves during the spring season and was invited to play on the West team at the U.S. Soccer Festival in August. He came off the bench in UCLA's season opener and has started all but one game since. The sophomore has been instrumental in UCLA's 12 shutouts and was selected to the honorable mention All-MPSF Pacific Division team.

Paneno Opportunistic with Points -- Sophomore midfielder Nick Paneno (La Canada/La Canada HS) has picked the best times to score this year. After not scoring a single point in his first season as a defender in 1996, Paneno has relatively exploded offensively this year, scoring two goals and four assists (8 points). Both goals were game-winners, and he also assisted on two game-winners. Below is a close-up look at Paneno's points this year:

10/17 vs. CSUF      Assisted on UCLA's only goal in 3-1 loss
10/19 vs. UCI       Assisted on the game-winner in 4-0 win
10/26 vs. CSLA      Assisted on the game-winner in 5-0 win
10/31 vs. UMass     Scored the game-winning goal in 3-1 win
11/2  vs. Duke      Assisted on a goal that gave UCLA a 2-1 advantage in 4-2 win
11/23 vs. S. Clara  Scored the game-winning goal in 3-0 win

UCLA's U. S. National Team Players Provide Experience to Young Team -- Although UCLA starts a lineup that includes two freshmen and three sophomores (with two freshmen and two sophomores as key reserves), the Bruins are a very experienced team, mostly due to its national team presence amongst the players. Six Bruins play on various youth national teams. Junior Tom Poltl and the injured Sasha Victorine played with the U.S. Under-20 National Team which participated in the World Youth Championships this summer. Four freshmen are members of the U.S. Under-18 National Team -- starting defender Carlos Bocanegra, backup goalie Nick Rimando, starting forward McKinley Tennyson, Jr. and reserve midfielder Shaun Tsakiris.

Schmid Named MPSF Pacific Division Coach of the Year -- UCLA head coach Sigi Schmid was named the MPSF Pacific Division Coach of the Year for the third straight year. Schmid led his Bruins to their third-consecutive MPSF Championship and in the process won his 300th career victory Nov. 16 against Stanford. Schmid is the winningest coach in UCLA Soccer history and has compiled a record of 303-59-33. He has taken his team to the NCAA Final Four for the third time this decade and fifth under his reign.

Eleven Bruins Named to All-Conference Team -- An MPSF record 11 Bruins were selected to the All-Federation team, with another record six named to the first team. First-team selections were: Seth George, Nick Theslof, Pete Vagenas, Carlos Bocanegra, Kevin Coye and Josh Keller. Honorable mention selections were: Nick Paneno, Tom Poltl, Matt Reis, Nick Rimando and Steve Shak.

UCLA In the Rankings
Date       SA  NSCAA  SN
Pre-season  8    3     3
9/2         5    4     1
9/8         5    4     1
9/15       11    8     7
9/22        8    6     6
9/29        5    3     4
10/6        3    2     2
10/13       3    2     2
10/20       5   10     5
10/27       3    9     3
11/3        2    5     2
11/10       2    5     2
11/17       2    3     2
SA - Soccer America
SN - Soccer News