June 28, 2004

2004 Pepperdine Women's Soccer Schedule
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The Pepperdine women's soccer team, which has finished in the Top 20 nationally in each of the last three seasons, will play a total of five teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament a year ago in the upcoming 2004 season, it was announced on Monday.

The Waves open their season on the road when they travel south to take on local rival Cal State Fullerton on August 27th and conclude their 19-match regular season schedule at perennial West Coast Conference (WCC) and national power Santa Clara on November 6.

The Broncos are one of five teams that reached the NCAA Tournament a year ago on Pepperdine's upcoming schedule. The Waves also will play road matches at national runner-up UCLA (September 24) and at Portland (October 15) as well as home contests against Arizona State (September 26) and San Diego (October 29).

Pepperdine plays 10 of its 19 matches on the road, including a trip to Berkeley, California, for the California Invitational where it will face Columbia and the host Golden Bears on September 3 and 5, respectively.

The Waves play their home-opener on Sunday, August 29, when they host San Jose State beginning at 1 p.m. Pepperdine also has home matches against Iowa State (September 10), UNC Charlotte (September 12), San Francisco (October 24) and Detroit-Mercy (October 31).

Pepperdine returns 20 letterwinners, including eight starters, from last year's team that posted a 14-6-1 overall record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Waves concluded the year ranked No. 20 nationally in the final National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll and No. 24 by Soccer America and Soccer Times.

Last year marked the third straight season that Pepperdine advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament. The Waves' season ended with a 2-0 second-round loss at UCLA.

Pepperdine returns four of its top five scorers from a year ago. Sophomore forward Jennifer Brewer (16 points), junior forward Megan Woods (16 points), senior forward Ali Pavoni (12 points) and junior Jenna Fodor (10 points) all return to the Waves' line-up.

Senior Ashley Swanson and junior Daniella Bosio anchor the Waves' defense while junior goalkeeper Anna Picarelli returns after registering a 0.87 goals-against average in 2003.

The midfield includes seniors Jenna Ainsworth, April Pettigrew and Maytal Shvartz.