Junior defender Peyton Leonard sends a cross into the 18-yard box against Portland University on Nov. 5 at Tari Frahm Rokus Field. Leonard played a key role in holding the Pilots to only one shot on target. Photos by Melissa Houston
In a close match, Pepperdine Women’s Soccer fell 1-0 to Portland University on Nov. 5 at Tari Frahm Rokus Field. Despite controlling possession, the Waves couldn’t find the equalizer, moving to 10-6-2 on the season and 7-2-1 in West Coast Conference play.
Redshirt sophomore Kyra Murphy said every game against Portland is a tough battle.
“It’s a battle every time we play them,” Murphy said. “They’re good, they’re physical and they move the ball well. We knew it was going to be a good game between two teams that like to possess.”
From the opening whistle, Pepperdine looked strong in holding possession. Murphy, senior midfielder Karina Gonzalez and redshirt senior midfielder/forward Tabitha LaParl, controlled the center, and their holding play allowed the Pepperdine forwards to make runs past the Pilots’ backline.
Senior forward Melina Livadas nearly broke through in the 19th minute behind a precise through ball from Murphy. With a defender right on her hip, Livadas aimed for the bottom left part of the goal, but Portland’s redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Sophia Hills closed out quickly and altered the shot. This was the first of Pepperdine’s eight shots in the game.
Out of the break, both teams played with a physical edge. In the second half, the Waves and the Pilots combined for 15 fouls, with Portland receiving two yellow cards to Pepperdine’s one.
Freshman forward Layla Simon goes up for the header against the University of Portland on Nov. 5 at Tari Frahm Rokus Field. These challenges showcased the physical intensity displayed throughout the match.
In the 63rd minute, Portland scored the deciding goal — a strike from outside the 18-yard box that sailed into the top left corner past sophomore goalkeeper Jillian Medvecky. The Pilots recorded only one shot on goal, but it proved to be the difference.
“In games like this, it comes down to these moments,” Head Coach Tim Ward said. “We had two or three really good opportunities to score in the first half, and we didn’t take them. Then they got one strike from 25 yards out — it was well taken, but we didn’t get pressure on it.”
On the attacking side, the frustrations continued throughout the game for the Waves. Murphy said the team has to stay strong defensively while remaining confident in their finishing.
“Defense wins championships,” Murphy said. “It’s frustrating when we can’t finish our chances. We just have to keep playing our game and put away the chances when they come.”
Pepperdine’s best chance came in the 83rd minute, when LaParl broke free for a one-on-one opportunity with Hills, who forced a save to the back post. Although a late whistle deemed LaParl offside, sequences like that summed up the afternoon for the Waves.
In the final 10 minutes of the game, Portland’s tactics raised eyebrows. After receiving the ball, several Portland forwards dribbled to the corners and shielded the Waves’ defenders from the ball — a common tactic used to waste time. Ward said he viewed it as fair play.
“We’ve been a goal up and done the same exact thing,” Ward said. “Up by a goal, you sort of play in such a way. You don’t run after balls, you don’t hurry the game up.”
Despite Pepperdine’s late push, the Waves couldn’t find the equalizer before the final whistle, falling 1-0 in a hard-fought contest.
With the season now complete, Pepperdine Women’s Soccer went 4-3-1 at home and 8-2-1 in West Coast Conference play. Overall, the Waves finished with an 11-7-2 record.
_________________
Follow the Graphic on Twitter: @PeppGraphic
Email Marcos Lizarraga: marcos.lizarraga@pepperdine.edu
