Though the two programs are based roughly 70 miles apart, the Bears and the Aggies will be strangers in a familiar land in their forthcoming matchup.
Despite their geographic proximity, the Cal women’s soccer team and the UC Davis squad barely know each other. Cal (4-2-0) has not faced the undefeated Aggies (3-0-1) since a 2007 exhibition game in which the Bears lost 0-1.
But despite no scouting reports and little indication of what to expect, the Bears remain confident that they can handle whatever the Aggies throw at them.
“We have to be ready for anything,” junior defender Emi Lawson said.
Though their pre-conference record got a bit of a shake-up last week with two losses, the Bears got back on track with two dominant wins over the weekend against Cal Poly, 4-1, and the University of San Francisco, 3-0. The victories revitalized the Bears, who will head into Friday’s game at Aggie Stadium refocused and hungry for another win.
“We will focus on keeping the pace fast for the full 90 minutes and converting our chances, and hopefully we will get another shutout,” Lawson said.
Lawson was instrumental in the Bears’ most recent shutout against the Dons, controlling the back line in the game. The match featured the Cal defense in top form as the Bears gave up no corners and allowed only one shot.
For spearheading these defensive efforts, Lawson was named this week’s Student Athlete of the Week.
At the other end of the field, the Bears have dominated as well. Cal featured a dynamic offense full of diversity and depth, as 10 different players scored in the first six matches of the season. The front line is unpredictable, scoring in different ways from a variety of positions, making the Bears very difficult to defend.
The team leads the Pac-12 in scoring with 17 goals as well as in shots with 116 so far this season. Seven of those goals came in the last two games, reigniting the Bears’ offensive spark.
After last weekend’s turnaround, Cal looks to continue accumulating forward momentum as tougher conference opponents loom closer and closer.
“Coming out of the game last weekend, everyone wants to do more and keep playing and that mentality is going to carry into this game,” Lawson said.
Yet despite the solid defense and the prolific offense, the Bears will not be taking the game against the Aggies lightly. The UC Davis squad may find unanimity to its benefit, as the Bears are unaware of any strengths or weaknesses.
“Because we are not familiar with them, we will go in hard and play at a high level and see where the game takes us,” Lawson said.
The Aggies have not played any ranked teams or notched any notable wins, making it even more difficult to gauge their strength. They have not beaten anyone by more than two goals, resulting in a string of close matches. Though the squad remains undefeated, this factor reveals the Aggies’ vulnerability.
And the Bears will go into that foreign field in Davis with one aim: ending the Aggies’ undefeated streak.
“That’s the plan,” said Lawson. “That is absolutely the plan.”
Taylor Brink covers women’s soccer. Contact her at [email protected]
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