Jeff Lund

Saturday afternoon, I decided to put studies on hold and brave the tornado-like winds to get some sun from the center-field bleachers and take in a UA softball game.

Arizona was playing top-ranked UCLA, but the Bruins had to know coming into the game that they were underdogs.

If history was to be any indication, the Wildcats do not lose at home.

As expected, senior Jennie Finch directed the team to yet another home win and added another tally to the home winning streak (70) and her own personal winning streak (60).

Sunday, however, everything came to a screeching halt, and on the cover of yesterday's Wildcat, I saw something I have never seen before - Jennie Finch not smiling. With her head down, she walked off the field after tasting her first defeat in 61 games.

So big was the loss that broke the 70-game home winning streak that it was the featured piece in this paper and one of the biggest news stories in weeks, especially in the sports realm.

Finch, who came in in relief after a brutal first inning, righted the team and shut down the Bruins so that the Wildcats could come back.

Since Arizona took a lead, then eventually lost, Finch was hit with the loss - her first since a 3-1 loss to Arizona State on April 21, 2000.

But in the defeat, something has come through about the softball team. It is very rare that any sports story becomes front-page material - especially when it is a regular-season game.

Finch and the rest of the softball team, if they did not see it before, can certainly believe now how much they bring to the university and how important they are to the students and fans that they walk around campus with and play in front of each weekend.

We expect them to win, not because they are playing inferior opponents - which the Pac-10 is far from - but because they are just that good.

What the softball team achieved is nothing short of jaw-dropping.

In a conference that annually boasts three or four teams capable of winning the national championship, the Wildcats did not lose a home game in over two years.

Not all students are lucky enough to be there when something this monumental comes around.

Remembering back to the way I felt after the men's basketball team beat up Michigan State in the 2001 Final Four to advance to the NCAA National Championship, I didn't know what to do.

I sat on the couch in disbelief. Of all the years, Arizona might win a title while I am a student here.

Winning a high-profile national championship is something that is far from guaranteed no matter how good a team is, and we all remember the damn Dukies and the outcome of that title game.

But we really have it better than most schools.

On any given day, in any given season, something spectacular can happen. Finch and the softball team spoiled us for two dominant years.

We all know that another streak will start, more than likely the next time Finch takes to the circle and the Wildcats play at home.

Sure, there was some disappointment and disbelief that Arizona did lose in front of the record crowd, but all streaks come to an end.

For those of you who only read the box score, or the bottom line, it was far from a disappointing three days.

Yeah, Finch and the Wildcats lost, but to sustain streaks like they did is impressive to say the least, and they deserve every bit of praise we as students and fans have to offer.

As if the record crowd was not enough, I applaud you national champions for the streak and the head-spinning stats.