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Box Score

MALIBU, Calif. - The Pepperdine women's soccer team kept its hot start to the season going on Sunday thanks to another stellar game from senior Rylee Baisden. Baisden scored twice in a 3-0 defeat of Kentucky at home, giving her three goals and two assists through the first two games of the year.

The Pepperdine defense held fast after the Waves jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute, never letting the Wildcats climb back in the game. The Waves are now 2-0 on the year after also beating No. 20 Arizona, 3-1, on Friday.

"This is a great opening weekend for us," said head coach Tim Ward. "We've had some tremendous competition and have thankfully been able to come away with some good wins. Kentucky was all over us after we scored our first goal, but we were somehow able to keep them out of the net. In the second half we did a great job capitalizing on our chances and putting them away. That's what this game was about, who could capitalize on their opportunities, and we did a great job of that."

Baisden (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza HS) seized the first opportunity she saw in the game, pouncing on a Wildcat giveaway deep in their own half and streaking towards the box with only the Kentucky keeper in front of her. The senior forward slid a ball just past the charging goalie to make it 1-0.

The Waves defense and goalkeeper Hannah Seabert (Riverside, Calif./Woodcrest Christian HS) went to work making that goal stand up through the half, with Seabert making two big saves in the first period. The last save came in the 44th minute when Kentucky sent a dangerous ball into the box and Kelly Novak was there to get a foot on it, but Seabert stepped in front to make the stop. Her first save was on a breakaway by Kentucky's Evangeline Soucie where she charged the Wildcat forward and made a brilliant diving save in the 14th minute. The Pepperdine keeper finished with three saves on the day.

Baisden went back to work in the second half, this time receiving a pass at the top of the box from Bri Visalli (San Jose, Calif./Valley Christian HS), taking a couple dribbles into some space just inside the penalty area and firing off a shot that ducked inside the right post. The two scores coupled with her goal and two assists on Friday give Baisden eight total points on the year, matching the most any Wave posted all last season.

"Rylee leads by example and she's doing a great job out there," said Ward. "Between her and Hannah (Seabert), nobody on our team has seen more college minutes, so we really rely on those two to step up and lead this team. It's been a great opening weekend in those regards, we just need to take it one game at a time, because our schedule doesn't get any easier."

Christina Settles (Oceanside, Calif./Oceanside HS) put the game well out of reach in the 87th minute with her first score of the year. Settles received a cross from Hailey Stenberg (Huntington Beach, Calif./Mater Dei HS) deep in the box and need just one touch to tap home the third goal of the game and sixth of the year for Pepperdine. Settles led all players with seven shots in the game, just missing on some long attempts earlier in the contest.

Seabert again came up with a spectacular save late in the second half, getting a fingertip on a dipping shot to poke it up and over the bar in the 81st minute.

The Waves outshot Kentucky 18-9 and had a 6-3 shots on goal advantage. The Wildcats drew three corners to one for Pepperdine.

The Waves hit the road for the first time this season, traveling to Fresno State on Friday for their next matchup. Pepperdine then hosts No. 11 USC on Sunday.