By
Audrey DeAnda
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Despite record, Klein happy with team's progression
UA freshman forward Liz Bartlett did not expect to be the team's leading scorer this year.
But Bartlett leads the team in goals (5) and shots with 43 (16 of those on goal).
"I didn't expect to be in this position," Bartlett said. "When I first got here I just wanted to do the best I possibly could and hopefully that would be enough. I know it's not enough right now because I should be doing better than I am, but it's kind of cool."
UA head coach Cathy Klein said Bartlett has become an elite athlete.
"Liz has come so far," Klein said. "I put her forward, in the back and in the midfield (in the game against BYU). You can't ask a young freshman player to do anything more than that so I'm very pleased with her."
The level of play that BYU displayed is exactly what Klein hopes the Arizona program will one day reach.
"I thought they were so athletic, so fast, so talented and everything I want our team to be in two years," Klein said. "They are the model, in my mind, of what we want to be."
With the Wildcats only losing by one goal to the 13th-ranked Cougars, Klein said it was a respectable loss.
"If we played at that level, with that level of organization against Stanford, Cal , ASU, we would have won.," Klein said. "We're improving every game which is exciting."
Bartlett was also excited about the team's performance.
"The fact that they only beat us by one goal and they had to get that goal in the second half says a lot," Bartlett said. "The fact that we were leading through most of the game also says a lot."
With the season coming to an end, Klein is proud of how the team has progressed, despite its 3-13-2 record.
"It's not the speed that we're moving but it's the direction," Klein said. "Every game has been a forward progression, and I'm very proud of that."
Klein said as a young coach she use to be afraid of an intense schedule, like the one the Wildcats have faced. But now she knows that playing elite programs will only help her team.
"It is helping to train our team. It's accelerating our growth as an elite program," Klein said. "Our results are not what we would have liked, but our direction is positive and that's exciting."
The Wildcat goalkeepers and defense have faced intense pressure this season - UA has been outshot in 16 of the 18 games in which they have played.
In Arizona's latest game, the Wildcats were outshot 32-4 by BYU.
UA junior goalkeeper Shannon Monti said the intense pressure by the other teams is just part of the game for a goalkeeper.
"I have complete confidence in everyone on the field," Monti said. "For myself, Tami (Klein) and Inger (Airheart) - we wouldn't be goalkeepers if we couldn't take the pressure so it's just part of the position."
