Pepperdine Falls 2-1 at UC Irvine

IRVINE, Calif. Â The Pepperdine women’s soccer team (4-5-2) dropped a 2-1 decision to UC Irvine (6-5) Sunday night at Anteater Stadium. 

UCI scored the game winner in the 81st minute as Amanda Phillips headed the ball over Pepperdine goalkeeper Kayla Stolte (Santee, Calif./West Hills HS) from inside the six. The Anteaters’ goal was set up by a free kick taken by Milana Shabestari on the left side of the 18-yard box and was first touched by Sarah Busby before Phillips rattled the net.

“We had two chances to make a play on that set piece and to give it up like that was just frustrating,” Pepperdine head coach Tim Ward said. “I’m disappointed in the result but not the performance. We showed lots of spirit and really looked like the better team for much of the game.”

The Irvine goal placed a damper on the Waves’ comeback attempt. Four minutes earlier, Pepperdine believed it was back in the game with a chance to win after freshman Laura Cole (Whittier, Calif./La Habra HS) buried a 30-yard strike in the 77th minute.

Rookie defender Myriah Stockman (Sandy, Utah/Brighton HS) was credited with the assist after forcing a turnover at the midfield stripe. Cole dribbled Stockman’s pass a few yards before creating enough space to send a blast into the upper left corner and just out of the reach of UCI goalkeeper Erica Quevedo.

Cole’s goal was her third of the season.

The Waves were regularly stymied early in the second half before finding their equalizer.

A Pepperdine corner kick in the 48th minute resulted in two shots, the first of which hit the post while the second was blocked at the top of the 18-yard box.

Amanda Rupp (Encinitas, Calif./La Costa Canyon HS) would also hit the post in the 56th minute and Alexis Farler (Roseville, Calif./Granite Bay HS) missed a sitter that was sent into the six by Joanna Idom (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza HS).

Further adding to the Waves’ aggravation, Rupp had a goal called back due an offsides penalty.

UC Irvine took its initial lead in the 12th minute on a goal from Alyssa Humphrey who headed a cross past Stolte as she dove to her left. Tanya Taylor was given the assist for her quality service from the end line into the goal area.

“Their first goal was a good one with a real good cross and header at full speed,” Ward said. “Their No. 3 (Taylor) is a quality striker; she reminds me a lot of one of our former players, Megan Woods.”

Pepperdine’s best first-half chance to tie the match was a free kick bullet off the foot of Farler in the 27th minute that was caught at the post by Quevedo.

Pepperdine outshot UC Irvine 14 to 8, including 11 to 4 in the second half. Stolte made three saves while Quevedo was credited with five.

The Waves’ continue their road swing Friday, Oct 3 with a 7 p.m. match at #2 UCLA.

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