LUBBOCK, Texas – The Pepperdine women's soccer team nearly had an NCAA Tournament first-round comeback for the ages, giving up two early goals on the road at #15 Texas Tech on Friday night before dominating play for much of the rest of the game and tying the match at 2-2. But that's how the match would end in regulation, and the Red Raiders eked out a 4-3 win in the penalty kick shootout.
After Texas Tech (15-3-3) scored twice in the first 12 minutes, things appeared to go from bad to worse when a Tech player knocked into redshirt freshman goalkeeper
Kinsey Ehmann (Paradise Valley, Ariz./Xavier College Preparatory), who was forced to leave the game in the 27th minute. Junior forward
Devyn Gilfoy (Brentwood, Calif./Liberty HS) was called into emergency duty for the second time this season.
But the Pepperdine defense was incredible from that point on. After taking five shots in the first 24 minutes, Texas Tech wouldn't get off another attempt until the first overtime period – more than 70 minutes of play without a shot.
The Waves (11-6-3) got a goal back just before halftime thanks to sophomore forward
Leyla McFarland (Bonita, Calif./Eastlake HS), and then early in the second half McFarland won a penalty kick that junior forward
Joelle Anderson (San Jose, Calif./Harker School) converted. It was all Waves in the second half, as they outshot the Red Raiders 11-0 in the second frame.
During the 20 minutes of overtime, the Waves outshot the Red Raiders 4-2, putting the final count at 21-7 in the Waves' favor (13-3 on goal).
The Waves took an early advantage on penalty kicks when the Red Raiders missed on their second attempt. Pepperdine converted its first three PKs – by sophomore defender
Trinity Watson (Ocean Beach, Calif./Point Loma HS), sophomore forward
Aliyah Satterfield (Valencia, Calif./West Ranch HS) and senior midfielder
Tara Morris (Newport Coast, Calif./Mater Dei HS) – but the final two were saved, while Texas Tech converted its last three opportunities.
GOALS
Texas Tech 5': A ball was cleared out to Texas Tech's Penelope Mulenga, who was able to get past one Pepperdine player and unleash an unstoppable shot into the upper-right-hand corner from 25 yards out.
Texas Tech 12': The Red Raiders' Jordie Harr scored on a free kick from 20 yards out, finding some space just inside the left post.
Pepperdine 40': Sophomore midfielder
Madi Cook (Trabuco Canyon, Calif./Tesoro HS) got the ball in midfield and lofted a high ball deep into the attack. McFarland ran onto it at the top of the box on the left side, made one dribble to cut back to her right and free herself from a Tech defender, and put the ball off the right post and in. It was McFarland's fifth goal of the season.
Pepperdine 50': McFarland was awarded a penalty kick when she was knocked down in the box, and Anderson tied the game when she scored on the PK. It was Anderson's team-best seventh of the season, and her sixth in the last six games.
STATS
Shots: Pepperdine 21, Texas Tech 7
Shots on Goal: Pepperdine 13, Texas Tech 3
Saves:
Kinsey Ehmann (Pepperdine) 1,
Devyn Gilfoy (Pepperdine) 0, Madison White (Texas Tech) 11
Corner Kicks: Pepperdine 7, Texas Tech 3
Fouls: Pepperdine 9, Texas Tech 15
Offside: Pepperdine 1, Texas Tech 2
QUOTABLE
Pepperdine Coach
Tim Ward said: "I've been doing this a long time. That was an awesome performance. Congrats to Texas Tech, they played really well. The first 15 minutes they were on fire. And then we were able to make some changes and from that point on we just did an exceptional job. Kinsey went down, and she's our only keeper, and Devyn steps in for the second time this year and does an amazing job. To be a field player and step into goal in an NCAA Tournament game is pretty remarkable. She did great.
"And the team rallied for her and the seniors. What a goal that Leyla got to make it 2-1. And then we almost got a couple before halftime. And then we made some adjustments tactically at halftime and the girls performed beautifully. With all due respect to them, we were dominant in the second half. Then we get the equalizer, and I thought there was going to be one winner.
"But we go to a PK shootout and it's a crapshoot. Tech did a good job scouting. It takes a lot of courage to step up and take a PK with the season on the line. I'm proud of our ladies for their courage and their performances all year. I'm really, really proud of our seniors, Tara, Courtney, Stenny and Brooke, what leadership they displayed all season long.
It's a bummer way to lose, especially after that fight back, that was of epic proportions really. I'm so proud of this team."
NOTABLE
- The result officially goes in the record book as a draw, putting Pepperdine's all-time NCAA Tournament record at 8-10-3.
- It's only the fourth time in 11 NCAA Tournaments that the Waves were unable to advance out of the first round.
- It's the first time the Waves have lost a penalty-kick shootout (they won the previous two).
