Pepperdine and UCLA Box Score (Oct. 2, 2009) 
MALIBU, Calif. - #4 UCLA topped Pepperdine's women's soccer team 2-0 Friday afternoon in front of 409 Orange-clad fans at Tari Frahm Rokus Field.
The loss dropped the Waves' record to 6-4, snapping a six-match home winning streak that dated back to last season. The Bruins won their ninth straight and improved to 9-1-1.
UCLA first scored on a Sydney Leroux penalty kick in the seventh minute and again in the closing seconds after Chelsea Cline found enough space atop the 18-yard box to send in her first score of the year.
Leroux, the Bruins' leader with 11 goals, earned the penalty kick attempt following a foul called on Pepperdine's freshman goalkeeper Roxanne Barker (Irvine, Calif./Woodbridge HS), who ran off the line in an attempt to stop Leroux's breakaway attempt. The referee immediately blew the whistle and the Bruins had their lead a few seconds later.
"It was a foul and we're lucky she didn't get red carded," head coach Tim Ward said of Barker, "because as the last defender, the referee has the authority to send her off the field - it happened in a match just the other day. There wasn't any malice involved on the tackle, but after their forward got through and was getting ready to finish her shot Roxy had to come out big in going after the ball."
Barker and the Waves' defense settled quickly afterwards, and despite experiencing a few more hair-raising moments around the goal mouth, they never allowed the Bruins to extend their lead until the final minute when the offense was making its final push to tie the match. Barker finished the match with five saves, which included robbing midfielder Kristina Larsen on four separate occasions.
UCLA also had a shot blocked by the post and defender Kelsea Smith (Camarillo, Calif./Oaks Christian HS) was credited with a team save after kicking back Ahsha Smith's shot taken from the end line.
Pepperdine's offense, which was prevented from taking a shot in the first half, entered the second half with a bit more energy and finished the match with six shots. Unfortunately, UCLA goalkeeper Chante Sandiford remained on her 'A' game as she has all season long, saving three shots including Kelly Reilly's (Cardiff, Calif./La Costa Canyon HS) potential game-tying penalty kick in the 64th minute.
Reilly ripped a shot headed for the top drawer, but Sandiford dove right to the exact spot, placed both her mitts behind the ball and sent it over the net.
"I'm proud of Kelly for taking that moment on her shoulders" Ward said, "and even though she missed it, she's a strong player who's going to bounce back. She was big for us at midfield once again, and without her presence we wouldn't have developed as many second-half chances."
Prior to Reilly's penalty kick, it appeared Pepperdine had Sandiford trapped out of position on two occasions, but neither time were the Waves able to dribble the ball out for a clear shot. Sophomore Laura Cole (Whittier, Calif./La Habra HS) and freshman Jennifer Karson (Frazier Park, Calif./Frazier Mountain HS) led the Waves with two shots and Larsen led all players with five.
Karson's start was the first of her young collegiate career and placed both her shots on goal.
"I felt like we deserved a goal," Ward said. "Even though we ended up with six shots, there were two to four more dangerous opportunities we created. After we stripped their goalkeeper of the ball at the corner of the 18-yard box, we just should have chipped it in but it didn't happen that way."
Pepperdine returns to action Thursday, Oct. 8 for game two of its season-long five-game homestand, taking on Cal State Bakersfield at 3 p.m.
"If we learned anything today it's that we have to show up for 90 minutes instead of 60 or whatever it was," Ward said. "We really lost the game on their PK, which was a result of our flat-footedness. And as upset as I was after the first half, I was equally as proud of our girls following the second half. We created a lot of good looks in addition to the penalty opportunity - we had the momentum - but now we have to move on and get ready to play hard against a quality Bakersfield team."
