PROVO, Utah – The Pepperdine women's soccer team couldn't put a dent in one of the nation's two remaining undefeated teams, as sixth-ranked BYU pulled off a 5-1 victory in West Coast Conference play on Wednesday night.
The Cougars (11-0-1, 1-0-1) scored three goals in the first 22 minutes before the Waves (5-5-2, 1-1-0) got one back just before halftime thanks to
Shelby Little. But BYU added two more goals after the break despite Pepperdine's efforts to get back into the game.
The final score wasn't totally indicative of the overall quality of play, as the Waves repeatedly attacked and the overall shot count was relatively even – the Waves were credited with 15 to the Cougars' 17.
GOALS
BYU 4': The Cougars' Cameron Tucker crossed the ball from the right endline, and it rolled through the middle until it was met by the onrushing SaraJayne Affleck, who knocked it home from seven yards out.
BYU 12': The Cougars' top scorer, Elise Flake, got herself free moving into the box, and while her first shot hit the right post, she got the rebound and doubled BYU's lead.
BYU 22': Flake got her second goal of the night and her 11th of the season as she took a through ball from Mikayla Colohan and scored again.
Pepperdine 42': The Waves got on the board late in the first half. Junior forward
Calista Reyes (Las Vegas, Nev./Sierra Vista HS) sent a long ball toward goal, and the BYU goalkeeper came out and made a diving effort to collect it, but she sent the ball straight to the feet of freshman midfielder
Shelby Little (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Hillcrest Christian HS), who immediately kicked it in from nine yards out. It was Little's third goal of the season, tying the team high.
BYU 49': The Cougars' Lizzy Braby made a tremendous individual effort on the right side, cutting back and forth before freeing herself and scoring a goal with her left foot inside the box.
BYU 54': A quick attack up the field resulted in the Cougars' Colohan taking a cross from the right and tapping it in for a goal right in front of the net.
STATS
Shots: Pepperdine 15, BYU 17
Shots on Goal: Pepperdine 4, BYU 9
Saves:
Kinsey Ehmann (Pepperdine) 4, Sabrina Davis (BYU) 3, Cassidy Smith (BYU) 0
Corner Kicks: Pepperdine 2, BYU 3
Fouls: Pepperdine 3, BYU 8
Offside: Pepperdine 0, BYU 1
NOTABLE
- The Waves entered the game having won three straight against BYU and four of the previous five.
- Pepperdine was facing a nationally ranked team for the sixth time this season in 12 matches.
NEXT
Pepperdine visits PCH Cup rival Loyola Marymount on Sunday (October 13) at 1 p.m. The match will be shown on the WCC Network.
