The Pepperdine women's soccer team (12-3-5, 6-1-3) hosts the first round of the NCAA tournament as they welcome the California Golden Bears.
MATCH #21 — Saturday (Nov. 16) at Tari Frahm Rokus Field in Malibu, Calif. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m.
ONLINE — Saturday's match can be found on ESPN+ (subscription required). Links to live stats can be found at PepperdineWaves.com.
CALIFORNIA (12-5-2, 5-4-1)— All time, the Waves draw even with the Golden Bears more often than not. A 1-1-5 record with Cal includes a 2016 NCAA tournament home match, resulting in Pepperdine advancing 3-2 on penalty kicks. The one loss came 12 years ago in Malibu in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The Waves' one win came one year prior, beating the Bears on their home turf 2-1.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN BEARS — Overall, Cal has scored 43 goals while allowing 29. Eerily similar to Pepperdine, the Waves have scored 42 and allowed 23. Senior Karlie Lema is responsible for 16 of the Golden Bears 43 goals, including four game-winners. The Moraga Hill native has five multi-goal performances on the year, including a hat trick against Nevada Sept. 5. As a whole, Cal's opponents show a better shots on goal percentage, while lacking in overall shots, goals, and corners per game. With 120 shots on goal all season, Pepperdine goes toe-to-toe with 117 shots on goal for the year.
RANKED WAVES — Pepperdine came in at 22 this week in the United Soccer Coaches poll. This is the ninth straight week the Waves have been ranked, jumping anywhere from 25 to 13. Santa Clara is the sole other WCC member in the top 25, slotted at 11 this week.
REIGNING CHAMPS — The Waves were picked to finish third in the WCC preseason coaches poll, but finished on top. Pepperdine split the title with Santa Clara, the Waves fifth title in program history. The last season Pepperdine lifted the trophy was 2017, a year that ended in a second round exit in a loss to #3 seeded Virginia in the second round. That game was hosted by UCLA, a short trip after the Waves beat Cal State Fullerton at home in Malibu for the first-round victory.
NCAA TOURNEY — This is the Waves' 14th all-time appearance in the NCAA tournament, with the last coming just last year. In a crushing 3-1 loss against Stanford, Pepperdine ended their NCAA tournament run in the first round to the eventual national-runner up. Seeking the first tournament win in three years, Pepperdine has not had a second round appearancre since 2021 after bulldozing the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State 7-1 at Tari Frahm Rokus Field.
ROSTER NUMBERS — The Waves' 30-player roster breakdown is three graduates, four seniors, two redshirt juniors, five juniors, three redshirt sophomores, three sophomores, one redshirt freshman and nine true freshmen. Pepperdine has 19 returners, including eight postseason starters. Two Waves —
Victoria Romero and
Tori Waldeck — are back for an extra season after utilizing COVID-19 redshirt years. Graduate transfer
Megan Edelman comes to Pepperdine after winning a 2022 National Championship in her four years at UCLA.
WAVES IN THE PROS — Several Waves have made their marks professionally.
Lynn Williams is a four-time NWSL champion (2016 Western New York Flash, 2018 and 2019 North Carolina Courage, and 2023 Gotham FC). In 2016, she was also the NWSL MVP and Golden Boot winner. As a member of the U.S. National Team, she's earned 70 caps and scored 19 goals. She won a gold medal in the most recent 2024 Olympics in Paris as well as a bronze in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Williams made her World Cup debut in summer of 2023.
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. In January 2022,
Joelle Anderson signed a two-year professional contract with the Houston Dash. In June 2023,
Kelsey Hill signed with Angel City FC as a national team replacement player.
2024 OLYMPICS – In the summer games, Pepperdine alum Lynn Williams ('15) won her first gold medal with the United States Women's National Team and only the second gold for a female Pepperdine graduate. Originally named to the alternate squad, Williams was elevated to the 18-man roster prior to group stage play. Scoring in the USWNT's 4-0 win against Japan, Williams is one of only four USWNT players to score in the entirety of the 2024 Olympics.
SEASON TICKETS— Season tickets are now available for all fall sports, including Women's Soccer. Additionally, Pepperdine is offering a Fall All-Sport Pass, which grants admission to all fall home sports including women's soccer, women's volleyball and men's water polo - a $525 retail value for just $150. Learn more and access those exclusive season ticket offers here: gowav.es/peppszntix2425.
GROUP OPPORTUNITIES — Interested in bringing your group out to a Pepperdine Athletics event? Unique experiences include anthem buddies, national anthem performances, fan tunnels, halftime performances and more. Group tickets (15+ tickets) and experiences are available, beginning at $5 per person for women's volleyball, men's water polo and women's soccer. Those interested in purchasing group tickets can fill out this form or reach out to the ticket office via e-mail wavestix@pepperdine.edu or phone (866) WAVE-TIX.
JR. WAVES — Register your kid(s) to join Pepperdine's official kids club, "Jr. Waves" for the 2024-2025 academic year. Jr. Waves receive an exclusive t-shirt, membership card and a lanyard that grants free general admission to all Pepperdine ticketed sporting events. Memberships start at $100 per kid.
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 20 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, four times (most recently in 2022-23). 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 #76 overall on U.S. News and World Report's list of America's best colleges.
