Women’s Soccer
NOAH GODWIN
Assistant Sports Editor
CHRIS WOLFF/Photo ASSISTANT
Senior Ali Pavoni moves the ball down the
field against St. Mary’s two weekends ago.
For the women’s soccer team seniors, playing the final home match of their college careers, the 3-0 victory over University of Detroit was a fitting end for a highly celebrated and appreciated group that helped elevate the Waves to a program of national prominence.
Senior Ali Pavoni scored two goals to improve the Waves to 9-5-3 on the season.
“Ali did a great job and was so excited for one more chance to play at home for Pepperdine, and we didn’t think we could be happier for her after she scored a goal until she scored her second goal,” sophomore forward Jennifer Brewer said.
Pavoni’s first goal came on a pass from fellow senior forward Jenna Ainsworth, who found Pavoni in front of the goal in the 40th minute.
Senior defender Ashley Swanson continued the scoring by perfectly placing a corner kick that junior forward Megan Woods hammered home just three minutes after Pavoni’s first goal.
Senior defender Diana Sanguinetti took a free kick that deflected off the Detroit goalkeeper, and Pavoni secured the loose ball and found the back of the net to provide the Waves with a 3-0 lead.
“We’ve looked up to the seniors all year, not only because they’re great people, but because, for the most part, they’re also our best players,” Brewer said.
Pepperdine’s three goals tied a season high matched earlier in the season against San Jose State University, and the shutout by junior goalkeeper Anna Picarelli was her ninth of the season.
The Waves dominated the match from beginning to end, holding a 33-2 lead in shots and a 17-1 advantage in shots-on-goal.
“You could just tell that there was no way our seniors would allow us to lose that game,” Brewer said.
Pavoni’s two goals put her in fifth place on Pepperdine’s all-time points list with 61, and her 23 career goals are good for the fourth-best record in Pepperdine history.
The other seniors playing their final home match were midfielders April Pettigrew and Maytal Shvartz.
“It was a bitter-sweet moment, but it wasn’t too bad because we still feel like we’ve got an opportunity to accomplish many of our goals we set at the beginning of the season,” Brewer said. “It was the senior’s last home match, but in no way did we see it as a swan song for those players because we’re still going to need them to play well — after all, our season’s not over.”
The last competitive match, though, came Friday afternoon against No. 23 University of San Diego. Neither team generated much offense in a match that ended in a 0-0 tie.
Pepperdine saw more opportunities after holding a 15-5 lead in shots and a 9-3 margin in shots-on-goal, but San Diego goalkeeper Karen Cook made all nine saves to keep the Waves scoreless.
Picarelli also did her part, particularly on a break away by San Diego’s Amy Epsten. Epsten had a free run at the goal, but Picarelli charged her and prevented Epsten from even attempting a shot.
“We couldn’t ask for any better goalkeeping than we’ve got this year, and she reminded us all why she’s one of the best goalies in the nation on that play,” Brewer said.
Pepperdine finishes the season Saturday with a trip to Santa Clara that might determine the Waves’ postseason fate.
11-04-2004
