WCLA has released its
first round of rankings for the 2024 season. UCLA A, the Women's Club Lacrosse Division I team, has been ranked 6th, moving up from its previous WCLA ranking of 8th. It's notable that D1's RPI is also ranked 7th in the country, showcasing their competitive schedule this season.
The D1 team has had a successful season so far, racking up wins against GCU, USC, Michigan, and ASU. Their only loss was in a close game against Utah, currently ranked 2nd, during the Golden State Invitational with a final score of 8-9. Also notable was D1's scrimmage win against Pomona-Pitzer, a DIII NCAA team.
With their season halfway over, D1 has sights set on playoffs and nationals, working around the clock to ensure a bid. In order to secure the central region bid, the team just needs to beat Cal Poly A during an away game on March 10th.
While the team as a whole has proved hard work pays off, a few stand-out players have received recognition through being ranked as national stat leaders. Sophomore midfielder
Talitha Cheng is ranked 10th in the country by WCLA for draw controls. UCLA also boasts players ranked in the WWLL stat leaderboards; Freshman attack player
Caroline Underwood is ranked 4th for average goals per game at 3.0, alongside sophomore midfielder
Rowdy Farmer at 8th with 2.67 GPG.
However, while many teams usually have a few star players that tend to rack up all the statistics, the Bruins boast a holistic view, and players across the board all work together to get their wins. 10 of the 24 players have goals under their belts, and nearly every player has earned points in a stat or two. The well-balanced and well-rounded team means D1 is a well-oiled machine and a force to be reckoned with.
While WCLA has not released rankings yet for Division II Club, the Bruin's D2 team is feeling optimistic about their own chances at attending playoffs. If they receive a bid, it will be the first time in 6 years they have attended, and the first time since moving from provisional standing to Division II in 2022.
D2 has secured wins against Biola, Chico, UC Santa Cruz, and Stanford so far this season, with their only loss being a 1-point loss against Concordia at the Santa Barbara Shootout. With SBCC and CSU Long Beach dropping out of the league for the season, the Bruins only need to win against Cal Poly B (March 2nd) and CSU Northridge (April 6th) to guarantee the central region bid for playoffs.
D2 President
Samantha Lopez is extremely optimistic about the team's chances of making playoffs. "The team's chemistry developed very rapidly this year, so our defense has been a brick wall, our attack line has been really aggressive, and we've been very streamlined in the midfield. It's been exciting to watch them come together to win these games [...] We stand a good chance at playoffs."
Like D1, D2 boasts a well-rounded team where every player matters. 17 of the 29 players having seen the field this season so far have goals under their belt, led by sophomore midfielder
Sophia LeClaire and junior midfielder
Tess Flinchbaugh. Defenders like freshman
Emma Liao constantly are responsible for quickly transitioning the ball back down the field, and even the sideline gets in on the action by ensuring energy stays high throughout the game.
With successes across the program, BruLax is amped up for playoffs and nationals. D1 has five more games of regular season, including 2 home games, and D2 has 3 more regular season games with 2 being at home. Make sure to come out and support the Bruins while you still can, and follow the Women's Lacrosse
social media accounts for game times, results, and
live-tweets of any games you can't attend.
Go Bruins!
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