Column: Max Rosenblum

If the saying two heads are better than one is true, then 2.36 has got to be better than one.

Right?

This is a question the UC Davis women’s soccer team has been more than happy to answer – and the answer to that question is yes.

But why would the Aggies want to know that in the first place?

The reason is because one represents the average number of goals per game UC Davis scored during the 2008 season, while 2.36 is the average goal production for the Aggies so far this year.

And the two heads?

That’d be the duo of senior attackers Rochelle VanBuskirk and Marisa Boge, who have been at the forefront of a resurgent offense for the Aggies in 2009.

“We have just been connecting more balls on offense,” VanBuskirk said. “When we get the ball, we’re able to find other people and connect it.”

“We’ve been playing to our strengths,” Boge said. “So far, we’re doing a good job.”

The Aggies are doing just that and more thus far in 2009 as their average goals per game are up almost one-and-a-half from last season.

“I think Rochelle and Marisa are a big piece of that,” said coach MaryClaire Robinson. “We are fortunate this year that both of them have done a good job of creating chances for us.”

Not only have VanBuskirk and Boge done a good job getting scoring chances this season, but they have been finishing those chances as well.

With six scores to this point, Boge has already surpassed her goal total from last season (four). She has also posted a hat trick on the year.

Meanwhile, VanBuskirk’s 12 goals and four assists place her fourth in the nation in points per game (2.54), and in a second-place tie in goals per contest (1.09). With her numbers, Van Buskirk is tops in the Big West Conference in points and goals while coming in second in assists.

She also had a conference-high seven points in one game – a two-goal, three-assist performance in a 6-1 win over Eastern Washington on Sept. 13.

Despite their individual successes, both Van Buskirk and Boge believe that a lot can be attributed to an entire team effort.

“We have the same players as last year,” Van Buskirk said, “but we’re playing more as a team.”

“Now that we’ve been playing together since last fall, in the spring and this fall, it is finally meshing and we are finally getting the formation down,” Boge said.

Still, the duo took it upon themselves during the offseason to be more aggressive on offense by setting goals for each game.

“We set goals to take 10 shots per game and then five on frame,” Boge said. “We try to keep up with those goals, follow them and keep on track.”

Another advantage that Van Buskirk and Boge have is a personal chemistry, making it hard for opposing defenders to know what they are going to do.

“It’s off the field, too,” Boge said. “We’re roommates and have been best friends for four years, and now we are finally getting a chance to show it on the field.”

While Robinson realizes all of these factors contribute to her star players’ and offense’s success as a whole, she also sees the increased goal production as a change in overall mentality.

“Our mentality has developed to a place where if you want to be successful, you have got to do more,” Robinson said. “Being dangerous is great, but can you put it in the back of the net?”

Yeah, they can. The play of Van Buskirk and Boge has helped the Aggies to a 6-4-1 mark so far in 2009 with a 1-1 record in Big West play.

The 1-1 mark is the only thing that Van Buskirk and Boge are really focused on at the moment.

“It feels good,” Boge said about her scoring in non-league play, “but we have to keep it up and take it into conference. That’s the important part. I don’t care about the goals I scored before.”

MAX ROSENBLUM wishes that he could score a goal in soccer. Really, even just one. Maybe it’ll happen in intramurals. He can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.