Pepperdine and Houston Box Score (Sept. 4, 2009) 
Waves Blank Houston 1-0 On Reilly's PK
Sept. 4, 2009
Click on the above video for a postgame interview with head coach Tim Ward.
Box Score
MALIBU, Calif. - A win is a win and that's what the Pepperdine women's soccer team left Tari Frahm Rokus Field with Friday afternoon after defeating Houston 1-0 on senior Kelly Reilly's (Cardiff, Calif./La Costa Canyon HS) penalty kick in the 55th minute.
Reilly's goal was her second of the season as the Waves improved to 3-1 with the victory. The Cougars remain winless at 0-3 and will next face Loyola Marymount Sunday. The Waves are off until Sept. 13.
"We were fortunate to earn the penalty kick," head coach Tim Ward said. "It was a little controversial because the player involved with the foul wasn't going to goal but there was a foul in the box and Kelly did a good job of tucking it away."
Pepperdine outshot Houston 10-6, including 5-1 in the second half, as freshman goalkeeper Roxanne Barker (Irvine, Calif./Woodbridge HS) was forced to make just two first half saves. Houston's Lauren Frazier came away with six saves in a solid effort.
Sophomore Michelle Spacciapolli (San Diego, Calif./Cathedral Catholic) led all players with three shots, including two on goal. Junior Haleigh Guertin (Corona, Calif./Santiago HS), sophomore Myriah Stockman (Sandy, Utah/Brighton HS) and freshman Kasey Kanada (Tigard, Ore./Tigard HS) also placed their single shots on frame.
"Houston did a nice job in the first half - they're very well coached and organized - which forced us to reevaluate some things at halftime," Ward said. "But after the break I thought we applied more pressure, the possessions were better and we created more dangerous chances."
Pepperdine took two corners and a pair of several close range direct free kicks in the second half, but could not find a clean look that may have led to an insurance goal.
The Waves have outshot the opposition in each of their four games this season; however, today's output was their lowest of the season. No matter though since the Pepperdine defensive backs rarely let the Cougar attackers in behind them and regularly pushed the ball back to the middle third. Reilly's presence clearly was felt as much on defense as she used her height and positioning to head back several balls.
"The defense is a work in progress but right now they're getting the job down and shutting people down," Ward said. "They're fine defensively, but from an offensive standpoint we expect them to do a better job of possession."
