TAYLOR BIRD
Sports Assistant
The season came to a close for the Pepperdine women’s soccer team Saturday in Spokane, Wash., with a 1-0 double-overtime loss at Gonzaga.
The Waves finished the season 5-8-6 overall and 2-4-1 in conference play to place sixth in the WCC, while Gonzaga’s record improved to 12-7-1, 3-4-0.
Saturday’s match was an evenly played battle, as each team attempted to get on the board and break the scoreless tie. Waves sophomore midfielder Joanna Idom just missed a goal in the 13th minute when she shot a ball that deflected off the crossbar.
Pepperdine junior goalkeeper Kayla Stolte blocked all six of Gonzaga’s shots on goal during regulation to push the game into overtime. She then added two more saves, including one in the sixth minute of the first overtime period on a shot by Bulldogs’ forward Nanda McCormick.
With less than a minute remaining in double-overtime, however, McCormick sliced a ball that ricocheted of Stolte’s fingers. This paved the way for defender Lori Conrad to knock the ball into the net for her first goal of the season and a 1-0 Gonzaga victory at 109:02.
“The girls played beautifully,” said Waves Head Coach Tim Ward. “It was sad the way it ended up. Gonzaga’s a good team. Down the stretch, the goal they got was one girl making a really exceptional play.”
Pepperdine was out-shot 18-11 during the match and could only manage two shots on goal after the first half. Stolte tallied a season-high eight saves in the loss.
“I really thought we were the better soccer team,” Ward said. “We looked like the team that was more likely to score a goal. In the first half especially we looked really strong. The girls played great. I think if there’s a theme this year, it’s that the play has been great but the results have been a disappointment.”
The 2007 season was one of mixed results for the Waves. In August, the WCC Women’s Soccer poll predicted Pepperdine to finish third in the conference, but early season offensive struggles coupled with one of the country’s toughest schedules stood as obstacles for meeting those expectations.
The Waves got off to a slow start and did not score their first goal until six games into the season, when they bested Denver 3-0 on Sept. 16 for their first victory.
The offense picked up from that point on, outscoring opponents 22-15 in the remaining 14 games on the schedule. And despite the sluggish start, the Waves ended the season with more goals scored than surrendered (22-20).
The combined win-loss total of Pepperdine’s 19 opponents faced throughout the season was 192-105-54, and soccerratings.com had the Waves’ schedule listed as one of the most difficult in the country. The same website ranked Pepperdine 51st of 314 for all NCAA Division I women’s soccer schools after Saturday’s match versus Gonzaga.
Junior forward Amanda Rupp led the team in scoring with five goals and five assists. Sophomore forwards Sophia Medina and Courtney Price totaled three goals apiece to tie for second in team scoring.
Notable games included the Waves’ 1-1 tie versus nationally ranked UCLA on Sept. 21 and a 5-1 win over Saint Mary’s on Oct. 28 for their largest victory of the season.
Ward believes the right components are in place for his team to find success, and experience will be key to realizing that potential.
“I think we have the right pieces to this puzzle,” Ward said. “We just have to work on getting better and holding ourselves accountable for a higher standard…[and] the girls are up to that challenge.”
With a roster that consists of just three seniors, two of whom are in their final year of eligibility, the Waves will return their nucleus in 2008.
“I think the future holds tremendous things for this group of girls and we’re excited.”
11-15-2007