MASTER'S NOTES: BRADBURY SHINES ON OFFENSE.

Byline: Jim Inghram Staff Writer

The Master's men's soccer coach Jim Rickard took a trip to Jamaica in February. but it wasn't for the usual fun and sun. Rickard was there on business.

``I went there to check on some players,'' he said. ``I picked out two and one came.''

That player was Ricardo Bradbury.

Not only has Bradbury added to the international flavor of the Mustangs' roster, he has turned into the team's top scorer. A freshman from Kingston, he is one of four players from exotic locales on the men's team.

Sophomores Lucas and Marcos Bongarra are from Buenos Aries, Argentina, and freshman Pal Andriska is from Budapest, Hungary.

In 10 games, Bradbury leads the team with six goals and an assist.

``I knew Ricardo was a great player when I saw him in Jamaica,'' Rickard said. ``I didn't realize he would be leading the team in scoring. It's good, but it's bad because he is a midfielder and I would like to see some more scoring from forwards.''

Bradbury's secret?

``He's very quick and has excellent ball skills,'' Rickard said. ``He's composed around the goal and that helps him maximize his chances.''

In Jamaica, Bradbury was a defensive-minded midfielder. With the Mustangs he has been able to play an offensive game.

More men's soccer: The team suffered its worst loss of the season Tuesday 4-0 against Westmont, dropping its record to 4-6.

``We characterize a young team,'' Rickard said. ``We can go out and play a great game and then we can go out and play a lousy game. Sometimes we fight immaturity and youth.''

The team has just one senior (goalkeeper Sean Parsons) and two juniors (C.J. Van Wingerden and Rusty Brooke).

``It's good for the future,'' Rickard said, ``but that's no consolation for the present. I'm a competitor and the players are too; we want to win now.''

Bullseye on his back: Last season as a freshman, Anthon Bruggeman was the team's leading scorer with 11 goals and five assists.

This year it's been more of a struggle. Bruggeman, from Glendale, Ariz., has just two goals but has contributed seven assists.

``Anthon is a marked man,'' Rickard said. ``He has two or three guys beating him up every game. Sometimes when you have a great freshman year, you go through the sophomore blues. It's not that he isn't playing well. It's more like things are not going his way.''

Tough schedule: The Mustangs enter a stretch in which they will be seeing a good team almost every game, starting today with Biola, a team that has won five straight. On the horizon are CSUN on the 29th, Simon Fraser on Oct. 9 and UC San Diego on Oct. 18.

``Sometimes we have failed to play good team defense,'' Rickard said. ``And against good teams, they will make you pay. You could be making the same mistakes against bad teams, but you wouldn't know because they won't punish you.''

The start of something big? The women's volleyball team saw its record drop to 7-6, then reeled off four consecutive wins, including victories over Claremont, Wayland Baptist and Concordia.

Kim Gibson continues to lead the team in kills with 161 and blocks with 23. Beth Barrington leads with 143 digs. Freshman Jamie Bolt has 320 assists.