UCLA Men's Soccer Hosts Creighton in NCAA Second Round

Bruins defeat Fresno State in first round, now highest seed in their bracket.

November 24, 1998

This Week - No. 6 seed and defending NCAA Champion UCLA (17-3, ranked No. 5 by Soccer America) will look for its seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament victory when it faces Creighton (15-3-2) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins and Bluejays will play Sunday, Nov. 29 at 1:00 pm at UCLA's North Athletic Field. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students and youth. Tickets can be purchased by calling the UCLA Central Ticket Office at 310/UCLA-WIN.

UCLA's NCAA Championship History - The Bruins won NCAA titles in 1997, 1990 and 1985 and have finished second three times (1973, '72 and '70) and third twice (1984, 1994). UCLA has advanced to collegiate soccer's Final Four nine times. Head coach Sigi Schmid has guided the Bruins to NCAA berths in 17 of his 19 seasons and has an NCAA Tournament record of 28-12. The Bruins' all-time NCAA record is 41-23.

UCLA in the Second Round - The Bruins are 14-8 all-time in NCAA second round play. Their last second round loss came at home in 1995, 2-1 vs. Santa Clara. In UCLA's last second round match, the Bruins won 1-0 over Washington.

California Dreaming - Seven teams from California (UCLA, Fresno State, Santa Clara, Stanford, San Jose State, San Diego and Cal State Fullerton) were selected to the NCAA Tournament, the most ever selected in one year from the Golden State. Of those seven teams, four still remain - UCLA, Santa Clara, Stanford and San Diego. The four California teams still in the tournament are the most from any one state still competing. Indiana is represented by two schools in the second round (Butler and Indiana, which will face each other next), as are South Carolina (Clemson and South Carolina) and Virginia (William & Mary and Virginia).

The Series vs. Creighton - UCLA is 1-0-0 overall against Creighton, winning the teams' only meeting 6-0 in 1991 at Fresno.

Home Cooking - As the No. 6 seed and the highest seed remaining in its half of the bracket thanks to No. 3 seed Duke's loss in the first round, UCLA should stay at home until the Final Four. Home games are always good for the Bruins. UCLA has won 31 of its last 32 home games, including all seven games at North Athletic Field this season.

Last Week - UCLA advanced to the second round by defeating Fresno State 2-1 in first round action last Sunday. Pete Vagenas scored the game's first goal in the 42nd minute off a penalty kick. Freshman forward Sean Walker drew the PK when he was taken down by Fresno goalkeeper Jeff Fluharty in the box on a scoring opportunity. After Fresno State tied it up in the 72nd minute, junior midfielder Sasha Victorine headed in a perfectly placed Carlos Bocanegra cross with less than four minutes to play to seal the win.

Victorine Makes Victorious Return to Playoffs - After playing the waiting game for nearly two years, junior midfielder Sasha Victorine made a victorious return to NCAA Tournament play. Victorine's header in the 87th minute gave UCLA a 2-1 victory over Fresno State in the 1998 NCAA first round. As a freshman in 1996, Victorine's Bruins lost in the first round of the tournament. UCLA won the NCAA title in 1997, but Victorine was unable to play after tearing his ACL Sept. 28.

A Look at the Bluejays - Missouri Valley Conference champion Creighton is led by Hermann Trophy and Missouri Athletic Club Player of the Year finalist Richard Mulrooney. The senior midfielder scored two goals to help defeat Saint Louis in the NCAA first round, 4-1 in overtime. The Bluejays, coached by Bret Simon, are 13-0-1 this year when he scores at least one point in a game, and 43-2-2 all- time in his career. This is Creighton's seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, and the Bluejays hold a 4-6-1 record in the tournament. Creighton's best showing in the tournament came in 1996, when it reached the Final Four.

Creighton's Second Round Jinx - Interestingly enough, although the Bluejays went to the Final Four in 1996, they have never won a second round NCAA Tournament game nor scored a goal in the second round. In 1996, Creighton tied Cal State Fullerton 0-0 but advanced on penalty kicks, 4-2. Creighton enters 1998 with a 0-3-1 second round record.

Player of the Year Candidate Updates -

Seth George, Forward: Missouri Athletic Club Player of the Year nominee Seth George (Mission Viejo, Calif./Santa Margarita HS) leads UCLA with 15 goals, eight assists, eight game-winning goals and 38 points. He has scored a goal or assist in 16 of UCLA's 20 games and was held scoreless in two of UCLA's losses. When he scores a goal or assist, UCLA is 15-1. George, a second-team All- American in 1997 and the 1997 NCAA Final Four Offensive MVP, ranks fifth on UCLA's all-time list for career goals (49) and sixth for career points (125). He owns the school record with 20 career game-winning goals, eight single-season game-winning goals and nine career multiple goal games. This season, he became the only player in the league to win MPSF Player of the Week honors twice this season.

Sasha Victorine, Midfielder: Junior Sasha Victorine (Corona, Calif./Rio Americano HS), UCLA's field general, ranks second on the team in assists with seven and scored the game-winner with less than four minutes to play against Fresno State in the first round of this year's NCAA Tournament. Team captain Victorine, who missed most of 1997 with an ACL tear and is playing in his first NCAA Tournament since 1996, has guided UCLA to a 17-3 record. His presence in the midfield has led UCLA to score 49 goals and allow just 10. Bruin head coach Sigi Schmid called the Victorine-led Bruin midfield the key to UCLA's 2-1 upset of then-No. 1 Indiana.

Steve Shak, Defender: Junior Steve Shak (Cerritos, Calif./Gahr HS) anchors a UCLA defense which has shut out 12 of 20 opponents and allowed just 10 goals. The central defender is a former walk-on to the Bruin team who went from not playing a single minute to being UCLA's starting sweeper and a Hermann Trophy nominee.

George Nearing Milestone Mark - One more goal will put UCLA superstar Seth George at 50 career goals. He already scored his 125th career point in a 1-0 win over Oregon State.

Vagenas on the Offensive - Junior midfielder Pete Vagenas (Pasadena, Calif./St. Francis HS) has been on a scoring tear lately as well. Vagenas, a pre-season All-American pick by Soccer America, has scored a goal or assist in seven of his last nine games, totalling three goals and four assists in that span. Vagenas scored the game's first goal against Fresno State in the NCAA First Round on a penalty kick. Like Victorine, Vagenas missed UCLA's Championship run a year ago because of an injury suffered in the NCAA Quarterfinals.

Rimando Reminder of Campos? - The play of sophomore goalkeeper Nick Rimando (Montclair, Calif.) has been conjuring up comparisons to Mexican National Team and former Los Angeles Galaxy goalkeeper Jorge Campos. Much like Campos, Rimando is quick, flashy, and, most of all, outstanding. Rimando has been among the Top 5 goalkeepers in the nation for much of the season. He currently sports a 0.58 goals against average with eight solo shutouts. Rimando can also play the field as well. Although he has yet to do it in a UCLA uniform, at Montclair HS, he played some midfield and scored 11 goals and 16 assists. Rimando does have one assist this year - an outlet pass to Tom Poltl set up a Martin Bruno goal in UCLA's 3-0 win over Fresno State Sept. 13.

Kay Breaks Into Starting Lineup - Redshirt freshman Brandon Kay's first career start was a memorable one. The Cal Poly San Luis Obispo transfer started at right back in a win over the then-No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers and has now started in UCLA's last six games. Kay has long ties to UCLA coach Sigi Schmid; Kay's grandfather, the late George "Scotty" Kay, coached Schmid on AYSO's first-ever team.

UCLA Head Coach Sigi Schmid - Nineteen-ninety-seven NSCAA Coach of the Year Sigi Schmid has compiled a 322-62-33 record in his 19 years at UCLA. Schmid, a 1996 inductee into the National Soccer Hall of Fame, has guided his Bruins to three NCAA titles - 1985, 1990 and 1997. He ranks second amongst active coaches in winning percentage (now .811) behind only Indiana head coach Jerry Yeagley (.826). Schmid is also the coach of the U.S. Under-20 National Team, of which five Bruins are members (Carlos Bocanegra, Ryan Futagaki, Nick Rimando, McKinley Tennyson, Jr. and Shaun Tsakiris).