MALIBU, California – The Pepperdine women's soccer team lost at home for the first time since 2016 as eighth-ranked USC proved to be too much in a 5-0 loss at Tari Frahm Rokus Field on Sunday afternoon.
 
In fact, the Waves (1-3) hadn't surrendered a goal at home since the 2016 NCAA Tournament and had posted 10 straight shutouts before USC (3-0) got on the board in the 18th minute.
 
It was just a 1-0 game at halftime, but a 51st-minute penalty kick opened the door to two more goals on counterattacks in the next few minutes, followed by a 67th-minute own goal.
 
The Waves had played more than 950 minutes at home since giving up a goal to California on November 12, 2016. The Waves had been unbeaten in their last 11 matches at home (9-0-2) since losing to Loyola Marymount on October 30, 2016.
 
QUOTABLE
 
Pepperdine Coach Tim Ward said: "USC has an excellent soccer team. They were very good, very disciplined, great tempo, great pace. I liked our game plan. Through halftime, we were doing a good job and kept them maintained except for the goal. We made some adjustments at halftime, came out with a plan, and then the penalty kick changed the flow of the game. That changed the game, being 2-0 down against a good team.
 
"This just wasn't good enough from us, we know that. We're a young team and played 10 freshmen today. We've taken these losses in the past and it's made us better. The crowd was fantastic today. We promise everyone, it may take some time, but we're going to get there. We're humbled by the result but not deterred."
 
GOALS
 
USC 18' – Savannah DeMelo (Ashleigh Plumptre, Tara McKeown); USC 51' – Savannah DeMelo (penalty kick); USC 55' Penelope Hocking (Leah Pruitt); USC 58' Tara McKeown (Savannah DeMelo); USC 67' – Pepperdine own goal.
 
STATS
 
Shots: Pepperdine 3, USC 13
Shots on Goal: Pepperdine 1, USC 9
Saves: Brielle Preece (Pepperdine) 2, Zoe Clevely (Pepperdine) 1, Kaylie Collins (USC) 1, Mackenna Carmichael (USC) 0.
Corner Kicks: Pepperdine 2, USC 7
Fouls: Pepperdine 6, USC 15
Offside: Pepperdine 0, USC 3
 
NEXT
 
Pepperdine has one game next weekend, a Friday (August 31) matchup with Indiana at 3 p.m. that closes out this three-game homestand at Tari Frahm Rokus Field. The match will be aired on TheW.tv.