Pepperdine Graphic

Women’s Soccer Opens Season at the Outrigger Kickoff

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Graduate student defender/forward Victoria Romero and freshman midfielder Elle Quinn awaits the sideline kick from the Aggies at the Waipi'o peninsula soccer complex on Aug 15. This is Romero's fifth season with Pepperdine accumulating 66 games played for the Waves. Photos courtesy of Tanner Haworth
Graduate student defender/forward Victoria Romero and freshman midfielder Elle Quinn awaits the sideline kick from the Aggies at the Waipi’o peninsula soccer complex on Aug 15. This is Romero’s fifth season with Pepperdine accumulating 66 games played for the Waves. Photos courtesy of Tanner Haworth

Pepperdine Women’s Soccer opened the season at the Outrigger Kickoff in Hawai’i on Aug. 15.

Over the last decade, Women’s Soccer has gone 6-1-3 in season openers, previously tying Georgetown to open the 2023 Season. This season, the Waves opened with a loss to Utah State 0-4.

It was a slow game for the Waves, tallying five total shots, three being shots on goal while surrendering six fouls and saving four shots. The Aggies beat the Waves in all categories but fouls and saves, tallying 19 total shots, eight being shots on goal, scoring four goals, having six assists as a team, surrendering 11 fouls and saving three shots.

For the Waves, Tabitha LaParl, redshirt junior midfielder/forward, and junior midfielder/forward Tatum Wynalda recorded the only shots on goal with two and one, respectively.

Redshirt junior goalkeeper Taylor Rath recorded two saves and freshman goalkeeper Jillian Medvecky recorded one save, but both allowed two goals.

Redshirt junior goalkeeper Taylor Rath jumps up for the save against Utah State at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Complex on Aug. 15. Rath played 45:00 minutes, saving one shot on goal while allowing two.
Redshirt junior goalkeeper Taylor Rath jumps up for the save against Utah State at the Waipi’o Peninsula Soccer Complex on Aug. 15. Rath played 45:00 minutes, saving one shot on goal while allowing two.

Utah State was on the attack early. The Aggies scored two of their four goals in the first period, one 21:00 minutes into the game and another 24:06 minutes into the game. The Waves had one shot during the first period.

Pepperdine didn’t let up, however, recording four shots during the second period, but the Aggies’ defense held them scoreless. Utah State put up nine more shots in the second period, all while preventing any corner kicks for the Waves throughout the match.

Sophomore midfielder Ava Verplancke goes to stop the ball in a game against Utah State at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Complex on Aug 15. Verplancke is coming off a strong rookie season, playing in 15 games for the Waves, starting four while recording five assists.
Sophomore midfielder Ava Verplancke goes to stop the ball in a game against Utah State at the Waipi’o Peninsula Soccer Complex on Aug 15. Verplancke is coming off a strong rookie season, playing in 15 games for the Waves, starting four while recording five assists.

To seal the game, the Aggies scored two more goals at minutes 55:40 and 67:33, putting the game out of their reach in a 0-4 finish. Pepperdine’s record in season openers over the last decade is now 6-1-4.

The Waves bounced back with a win against Georgia Southern on Aug. 18 to wrap up the Outrigger Kickoff in Hawai’i with a 2-1 finish.

They travel to La Jolla on Aug. 22 to face UC San Diego.

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Contact Justin Rodriguez via email: justin.rodriguez@pepperdine.edu