Thursday, August 26
Malibu, Calif.
3:00 p.m. PT
Pepperdine University
vs
Long Beach State
Julianna Duckett
Photo by: Roger Horne
#8 Women's Soccer Has Home Opener Thursday vs. LBSU
8/24/2021 3:10:00 PM | Women's Soccer
MALIBU, California — After a big first weekend, the #8 Pepperdine women's soccer team looks to keep the momentum going with this week's home opener against Long Beach State and a road match at UC Riverside.
MATCH #3 — Thursday (Aug. 26) at Tari Frahm Rokus Field in Malibu, California: #8 Pepperdine (2-0-0) vs. Long Beach State (1-0-0) at 3 p.m.
MATCH #4 — Sunday (Aug. 29) at the UCR Soccer Stadium in Riverside, California: #8 Pepperdine at UC Riverside (1-0-0, plays at Loyola Marymount on Thursday) at 7:30 p.m.
TICKETS — Tickets to all Pepperdine home women's soccer matches in 2021 will be available via e-ticket ONLY. Patrons must purchase tickets to any event prior to arriving on campus. Individuals without tickets to an event will not be allowed on campus. Pepperdine faculty, staff and students must show Pepperdine ID card for entry — no ticket purchase is required. To purchase e-tickets and read the spectator guidelines, visit: https://gowav.es/WavesTix.
WATCH/ONLINE — The Waves will stream Thursday's match on the WCC Network. Links to broadcasts and live stats can be found at PepperdineWaves.com.
LONG BEACH STATE — Pepperdine is 5-2-0 all-time against Long Beach State. The schools haven't met since the 2011 NCAA Tournament, when the Beach won in overtime, 1-0, in Malibu. The Waves are 3-1 in home contests against LBSU. The Beach opened the season with a 2-0 road win at CSUN.
UC RIVERSIDE — Pepperdine is 1-0-0 all-time against UC Riverside. The Waves posted a 3-0 home victory in 2019 and Shelby Little scored one of the goals. The Highlanders beat California Baptist 2-0 in their opener.
LAST WEEK — Pepperdine opened the season by winning twice on the road via shutouts, first at #14 USC 2-0 and then at San Diego State 3-0. Devyn Gilfoy and Carlee Giammona scored against the Trojans, while an Aztec own goal was followed by goals by Leyla McFarland and Trinity Watson. Zoe Clevely made eight saves in all as the defense kept the opposition off the scoreboard twice.
RANKINGS — After beginning the season listed among the teams receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches poll, the Waves jumped all the way to #8 after just one week. It's the first time the Waves have been in the top 10 since 2015 and it's the team's highest ranking since 2014.
HONORS — Joelle Anderson has been named to the MAC Hermann Trophy watch list for the second straight season ... Zoe Clevely received the first WCC Defensive Player of the Week award on August 23 (and the third of her career) after the season-opening shutouts against #14 USC and SDSU ... Trinity Watson was named to the Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week on August 24 after the two opening shutouts and scoring a goal on a penalty kick.
ANDERSON — Back in January, Joelle Anderson was picked in the third round of the 2021 NWSL Draft by the Houston Dash. But she decided to stick around Malibu for a little while longer before she joins the pros. She's utilizing a COVID-10 redshirt year to play a fifth season at Pepperdine. The four-time All-WCC pick (twice on the first team) and three-time All-West Region honoree has accumulated 24 goals (eighth all-time at Pepperdine), 10 game-winning goals (sixth), 16 assists and 64 points (eighth) in her career.
ROSTER NUMBERS — The Waves' 28-player roster breakdown is one graduate transfer, seven seniors, four juniors, eight sophomores, two redshirt freshmen and six true freshmen. Pepperdine has seven returning starters and 19 letterwinners back. Returning players accounted for 76% of last season's goals (19/25) and 59% of the assists (10/17). The Waves will be rebuilding their defense, as three starting backs and a defensive midfielder graduated. Three Waves — Joelle Anderson, Devyn Gilfoy and Calista Reyes — are back for a fifth season after utilizing COVID-19 redshirt years.
SCHEDULE — All six of Pepperdine's 10 non-conference opponents that saw action in spring 2021 posted winning records, and four of them went to the NCAA Tournament (the four Big West teams opted out of the 2020-21 season). The combined winning percentage of the six teams was .698 (55-21-10). Only three of Pepperdine's 10 non-conference games will be at home, and just seven of 19 overall.
WCC — The Waves were picked to finish third in the WCC preseason coaches poll. The order went as follows: Santa Clara, BYU, Pepperdine, Gonzaga, Portland, Saint Mary's, San Francisco, Loyola Marymount, San Diego and Pacific ... Joelle Anderson and Trinity Watson, who have both the All-WCC first team each of the last two seasons, were picked to the preseason All-WCC team again.
LAST SEASON — The COVID-19 pandemic delayed the fall 2020 season to spring 2021. An abbreviated schedule saw Pepperdine go 6-5-1 overall and finish fourth in the WCC. Four of the five losses came against ranked opponents. Joelle Anderson and Trinity Watson repeated on the All-WCC first team. Other returning players honored by the league were two second teamers (Leyla McFarland and Tori Waldeck) and a league-high three WCC All-Freshman team recipients (Waldeck, Julianna Duckett and Victoria Romero).
WAVES IN THE PROS — Several Waves have made their marks professionally. Lynn Williams is a three-time NWSL champion (2016 Western New York Flash, 2018 and 2019 North Carolina Courage). In 2016, she was also the NWSL MVP and Golden Boot winner. As a member of the U.S. National Team, she's earned 40 caps and scored 12 goals. She won a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Bri Visalli, who has been part of the U.S. U-23 team, played in England for a couple of seasons before joining the NWSL's Houston Dash in 2020. In January 2019, the Waves had two NWSL Draft selections for the first time in Hailey Harbison (first round to North Carolina) and Michelle Maemone (third round to Utah). Rylee Baisden was named the 2019 Player of the Year in Australia's NPLW and joined the North Carolina Courage in 2020. The Waves have produced two Olympians (Williams and Roxanne Barker, South Africa, 2012 and 2016) and a Women's World Cup participant (Anisa Guajardo, Mexico, 2015). Anna Picarelli played for Italy and Kristi DeVert was the first Wave to suit up with the USWNT.
ABOUT PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY — Pepperdine boasts a one-of-a-kind athletic department with unprecedented success for a school of its size. The Waves have won NCAA Division I championships in five different men's sports — one of just 18 schools to have accomplished this feat — and 10 overall. Of this elite group, Pepperdine has the smallest undergraduate enrollment, is the only school without football and is the only university that has not been affiliated with a "major" conference. The Waves have won a total of 26 team or individual national championships in their history. Pepperdine has also earned the Division I-AAA All-Sports Trophy, an award based on postseason success that's given to the top non-football school, three times (most recently in 2011-12). Located in scenic Malibu, California, the university overlooks the Pacific Ocean and its campus and athletic facilities are regularly voted among the nation's most beautiful. Pepperdine, which is affiliated with the Church of Christ, ranks #49 overall on U.S. News and World Report's list of America's best colleges.
MATCH #3 — Thursday (Aug. 26) at Tari Frahm Rokus Field in Malibu, California: #8 Pepperdine (2-0-0) vs. Long Beach State (1-0-0) at 3 p.m.
MATCH #4 — Sunday (Aug. 29) at the UCR Soccer Stadium in Riverside, California: #8 Pepperdine at UC Riverside (1-0-0, plays at Loyola Marymount on Thursday) at 7:30 p.m.
TICKETS — Tickets to all Pepperdine home women's soccer matches in 2021 will be available via e-ticket ONLY. Patrons must purchase tickets to any event prior to arriving on campus. Individuals without tickets to an event will not be allowed on campus. Pepperdine faculty, staff and students must show Pepperdine ID card for entry — no ticket purchase is required. To purchase e-tickets and read the spectator guidelines, visit: https://gowav.es/WavesTix.
WATCH/ONLINE — The Waves will stream Thursday's match on the WCC Network. Links to broadcasts and live stats can be found at PepperdineWaves.com.
LONG BEACH STATE — Pepperdine is 5-2-0 all-time against Long Beach State. The schools haven't met since the 2011 NCAA Tournament, when the Beach won in overtime, 1-0, in Malibu. The Waves are 3-1 in home contests against LBSU. The Beach opened the season with a 2-0 road win at CSUN.
UC RIVERSIDE — Pepperdine is 1-0-0 all-time against UC Riverside. The Waves posted a 3-0 home victory in 2019 and Shelby Little scored one of the goals. The Highlanders beat California Baptist 2-0 in their opener.
LAST WEEK — Pepperdine opened the season by winning twice on the road via shutouts, first at #14 USC 2-0 and then at San Diego State 3-0. Devyn Gilfoy and Carlee Giammona scored against the Trojans, while an Aztec own goal was followed by goals by Leyla McFarland and Trinity Watson. Zoe Clevely made eight saves in all as the defense kept the opposition off the scoreboard twice.
RANKINGS — After beginning the season listed among the teams receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches poll, the Waves jumped all the way to #8 after just one week. It's the first time the Waves have been in the top 10 since 2015 and it's the team's highest ranking since 2014.
HONORS — Joelle Anderson has been named to the MAC Hermann Trophy watch list for the second straight season ... Zoe Clevely received the first WCC Defensive Player of the Week award on August 23 (and the third of her career) after the season-opening shutouts against #14 USC and SDSU ... Trinity Watson was named to the Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week on August 24 after the two opening shutouts and scoring a goal on a penalty kick.
ANDERSON — Back in January, Joelle Anderson was picked in the third round of the 2021 NWSL Draft by the Houston Dash. But she decided to stick around Malibu for a little while longer before she joins the pros. She's utilizing a COVID-10 redshirt year to play a fifth season at Pepperdine. The four-time All-WCC pick (twice on the first team) and three-time All-West Region honoree has accumulated 24 goals (eighth all-time at Pepperdine), 10 game-winning goals (sixth), 16 assists and 64 points (eighth) in her career.
ROSTER NUMBERS — The Waves' 28-player roster breakdown is one graduate transfer, seven seniors, four juniors, eight sophomores, two redshirt freshmen and six true freshmen. Pepperdine has seven returning starters and 19 letterwinners back. Returning players accounted for 76% of last season's goals (19/25) and 59% of the assists (10/17). The Waves will be rebuilding their defense, as three starting backs and a defensive midfielder graduated. Three Waves — Joelle Anderson, Devyn Gilfoy and Calista Reyes — are back for a fifth season after utilizing COVID-19 redshirt years.
SCHEDULE — All six of Pepperdine's 10 non-conference opponents that saw action in spring 2021 posted winning records, and four of them went to the NCAA Tournament (the four Big West teams opted out of the 2020-21 season). The combined winning percentage of the six teams was .698 (55-21-10). Only three of Pepperdine's 10 non-conference games will be at home, and just seven of 19 overall.
WCC — The Waves were picked to finish third in the WCC preseason coaches poll. The order went as follows: Santa Clara, BYU, Pepperdine, Gonzaga, Portland, Saint Mary's, San Francisco, Loyola Marymount, San Diego and Pacific ... Joelle Anderson and Trinity Watson, who have both the All-WCC first team each of the last two seasons, were picked to the preseason All-WCC team again.
LAST SEASON — The COVID-19 pandemic delayed the fall 2020 season to spring 2021. An abbreviated schedule saw Pepperdine go 6-5-1 overall and finish fourth in the WCC. Four of the five losses came against ranked opponents. Joelle Anderson and Trinity Watson repeated on the All-WCC first team. Other returning players honored by the league were two second teamers (Leyla McFarland and Tori Waldeck) and a league-high three WCC All-Freshman team recipients (Waldeck, Julianna Duckett and Victoria Romero).
WAVES IN THE PROS — Several Waves have made their marks professionally. Lynn Williams is a three-time NWSL champion (2016 Western New York Flash, 2018 and 2019 North Carolina Courage). In 2016, she was also the NWSL MVP and Golden Boot winner. As a member of the U.S. National Team, she's earned 40 caps and scored 12 goals. She won a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Bri Visalli, who has been part of the U.S. U-23 team, played in England for a couple of seasons before joining the NWSL's Houston Dash in 2020. In January 2019, the Waves had two NWSL Draft selections for the first time in Hailey Harbison (first round to North Carolina) and Michelle Maemone (third round to Utah). Rylee Baisden was named the 2019 Player of the Year in Australia's NPLW and joined the North Carolina Courage in 2020. The Waves have produced two Olympians (Williams and Roxanne Barker, South Africa, 2012 and 2016) and a Women's World Cup participant (Anisa Guajardo, Mexico, 2015). Anna Picarelli played for Italy and Kristi DeVert was the first Wave to suit up with the USWNT.
ABOUT PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY — Pepperdine boasts a one-of-a-kind athletic department with unprecedented success for a school of its size. The Waves have won NCAA Division I championships in five different men's sports — one of just 18 schools to have accomplished this feat — and 10 overall. Of this elite group, Pepperdine has the smallest undergraduate enrollment, is the only school without football and is the only university that has not been affiliated with a "major" conference. The Waves have won a total of 26 team or individual national championships in their history. Pepperdine has also earned the Division I-AAA All-Sports Trophy, an award based on postseason success that's given to the top non-football school, three times (most recently in 2011-12). Located in scenic Malibu, California, the university overlooks the Pacific Ocean and its campus and athletic facilities are regularly voted among the nation's most beautiful. Pepperdine, which is affiliated with the Church of Christ, ranks #49 overall on U.S. News and World Report's list of America's best colleges.
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