The #15 Pepperdine women's soccer team extended their unbeaten streak to nine games, tying #10 Santa Clara 1-1 Wednesday afternoon.
The Waves (8-2-3, 2-0-1) overcame a deficit for the third straight game, answering the Broncos (8-2-2, 2-0-1) goal, which materialized within the first 10 minutes of play.
Right out of the gate, Santa Clara found a way into the goal. Lucy Mitchell scored her first goal of the season at the five minute mark to give the Broncos a 1-0 advantage early on.
Just before half, Pepperdine found an answer. As a lot of goals do, this one began on a service from redshirt junior
Tabitha LaParl (Lakewood, Calif.). Finding junior
Tatum Wynalda (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) a pass from her through her Santa Clara defender would find the left foot of freshman
Ariana Salvador (Newhall, Calif.) for a sliding goal into the left side of the net. This is Salvador's first goal of the season and the first of any freshman Wave this year.
The second half saw a lot of defense from the Waves. Being outshot 5-to-1, Pepperdine held it down on the backline and tested the Broncos in transition. Freshman
Jillian Medvecky (Concord Township, Ohio) notched four saves throughout the game, including three in the second half.
Missed opportunities from both sides would leave each team walking away with a point.
#15 Pepperdine improves to 2-0-1 in conference play, currently tied with both #10 Santa Clara and Oregon state for first place in the West Coast Conference.
GOALS
5' | Mitchell scored from the right side of the box into the opposite side of the net to give the Broncos an early lead.
41' | Salvador gets her first goal in dramatic fashion, sliding in the six-yard box as the goal goes to the left side of the net, scoring the only goal for the Waves in the top-15 matchup.
STATS
Shots: Pepperdine 5, Santa Clara 8
Shots on Goal: Pepperdine 3, Santa Clara 5
Saves:
Jillian Medvecky (Pepperdine) 4,, Marlee Nicolos (Santa Clara) 2
Corner Kicks: Pepperdine 6, Santa Clara 4
Fouls: Pepperdine 14, Santa Clara 8
Offsides: Pepperdine 2, Santa Clara 1
UP NEXT
#15 Pepperdine heads to Stockton, Calif. for the second night-game of the season, this time against the Pacific Tigers. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. and the match can be watched on ESPN+.
