Momentum is a fickle beast.

String a few big wins together, and it gets right behind you, ready to cheer you to greater heights of glory.

A few losses or lackluster efforts, though, and momentum moves right along to the next hot team.

After an absolutely searing start to the season, the No. 3 UCLA women’s soccer team has taken a few hits to the body and has to do its best to convince momentum to stick around a little longer.

This weekend would seem to be a perfect opportunity to do just that, as the Bruins (10-1-3, 3-1-2 Pac-12) host the Arizona Wildcats (1-11-2, 1-4-1) on Friday and the Arizona State Sun Devils (6-8-0, 2-4-0) on Sunday.

After facing consistently stiff opposition the past two weekends, playing two of the Pac-12’s weaker teams has to come as a measure of respite for this team.

No coach or player will say that or think that, though; what they will talk about is home-field advantage.

“We love playing at home especially because we get to play on Drake (Stadium) again,” sophomore defender Ariana Martinez said. “Anytime we can have people supporting us, it’s great.”

Playing on the road against Cal, Stanford and Washington State is not anybody’s idea of a good time, particularly when the Cardinal is the consensus No. 1 team and the Cougars are ranked No. 25.

Judging from the Bruins’ results (0-1-2 over the past two weekends), things didn’t go as well as hoped.

With only a few weekends left on the Pac-12 schedule, this weekend must serve as a launching point for the Bruins going forward and as an opportunity to build momentum for the ever-nearing national tournament.

The major point of emphasis for the Bruins is still the same: finishing. For a team blessed with mountains of talent and one of the nation’s top scorers in senior forward Sydney Leroux, the goals have been scarce.

“I mean it’s not like we need to reinvent the wheel because we are getting really good opportunities, and we have really good possession,” coach B.J. Snow said.

“What it comes down to, really, is composure and getting the final touch in the 18-yard box. That is what we have been trying to work on this week – just getting into that finishing mentality.”

When the Bruins figure out how to do that, this team will go from dangerous to downright frightening. After all, UCLA already outshoots its opponents 18.4 to 7.4 on average. And aside from the one hiccup against Stanford, the defense has been tremendous.

“I think it has been great. My defenders have been awesome so I am very pleased,” said freshman goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland.

After her subpar showing at Stanford, Rowland rebounded to post a shutout in 110 minutes at Washington State. Just like the rest of the team, Rowland doesn’t focus on the past. She is determined to keep pressing forward.

“It is definitely important to win, but we need to get better every game and hopefully the results will come with it.”