MALIBU, Calif. – After a tough and successful non-conference schedule, the #17 Pepperdine women’s soccer team opens up West Coast Conference play at home this weekend against San Diego.
MATCH #10 — Saturday (Oct. 1) at Tari Frahm Rokus Field in Malibu, Calif.: #17 Pepperdine (6-1-2) vs. San Diego (2-5-3) at 12 p.m.
WATCH/ONLINE — The match will be on the WCC Network. Links to live stats and the stream can be found at PepperdineWaves.com.
TICKETS — Tickets to all Pepperdine home women’s soccer matches in 2022 will be available via e-ticket ONLY. Patrons must purchase tickets to any event prior to arriving on campus. Individuals without tickets to an event will not be allowed on campus. Pepperdine faculty, staff and students must show Pepperdine ID card for entry — no ticket purchase is required. To purchase e-tickets and read the spectator guidelines, visit: https://gowav.es/WavesTix. Ongoing construction projects are significantly affecting parking availability at our athletic venues. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to find parking and make your way to the venue. Please park in the Firestone Fieldhouse parking lot or the RHO parking lot.
SEATING — Bleacher seating at Tari Frahm Rokus Field is limited and on a first-come, first-serve basis. Additionally, fans are encouraged to bring their own chairs.
SAN DIEGO — Pepperdine is 18-11-2 all-time against San Diego. The Waves are unbeaten in the last seven meetings (7-0-0) against the Toreros. Last season, Pepperdine traveled to San Diego and earned a 4-0 WCC victory.
LAST TIME OUT — The Waves had the last two weeks off, but prior to the break Pepperdine fell 4-0 to #1 UCLA at Tari Frahm Rokus Field. Four different Bruins found the back of the net. Ellie Sommers had a career-high day with nine saves.
NATIONAL STATS — Pepperdine is ranked tied for 13th in shutout percentage (.667), tied for 24th in goals per game (2.56), 25th for points per game (7.44) and tied for 30th is assists per game (2.33).
WCC STATS — The Waves rank first in goals per game (2.56) and third in goals against average (0.78) … Ellie Sommers is third in goals against average (0.78), tied for third in shutouts (four) and fourth in save percentage (.808) … Carlee Giammona is fourth in points per game (1.44) and goals per game (0.56) … Tori Waldeck is tied for fifth in goals per game (0.50) and sixth in points per game (1.25) … Victoria Romero and Trinity Watson are tied for seventh in assists per game (0.44) … Leyla McFarland and Tatum Wynalda are tied for eighth in goals per game (0.44).
RANKINGS — Pepperdine headed into the 2022 season ranked #17 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll. The Waves were ranked #14 in back to back weeks and moved up to #10 after three weeks. After four weeks of play, Pepperdine moved up one spot and was tied for #9. In the most recent poll, the Waves are currently ranked #17.
HONORS — Tabitha LaParl notched the first WCC weekly accolade for the Waves this season, as she was named Offensive Player of the Week after scoring the game-winning goal in the 3-0 victory over UCSB and had an assist on the lone game-tying goal against Cal (9/5)… Leyla McFarland earned a spot on the College Soccer News Women’s National Team of the Week after scoring three goals in two games against CSUN and UC San Diego. McFarland scored the lone goal in the 1-0 victory over the Tritons (8/22).
Three members of the Waves were named to the prestigious MAC Hermann Trophy watch list: Carlee Giammona, Tori Waldeck and Trinity Watson … Pepperdine also had three members receive notice on the United Soccer Coaches’ preseason players to watch lists: Watson (defender), Giammona (midfield) and Waldeck (forward) … Watson was named to Top Drawer Soccer’s preseason Best XI third team … Watson (26) and Waldeck (47) are ranked in the top 50 on the Top Drawer Soccer preseason NCAA DI preseason player rankings … Waldeck and Watson were also voted to the preseason All-WCC squad.
ROSTER NUMBERS — The Waves’ 30-player roster breakdown is three redshirt seniors, three seniors, one redshirt junior, seven juniors, one redshirt sophomore, four sophomores, one redshirt freshman and 10 true freshmen. Pepperdine has eight returning starters and 19 letterwinners back. Three Waves — Kelsey Hill, Leyla McFarland and Trinity Watson — are back for an extra season after utilizing COVID-19 redshirt years.
WCC — The Waves were picked to finish third in the WCC preseason coaches poll for a second consecutive season. The order went as follows: BYU, Santa Clara, Pepperdine, Gonzaga, Portland, Saint Mary’s, San Francisco, Pacific, Loyola Marymount, San Diego.
LAST SEASON — The Waves had one of its best seasons in program history finishing with an overall record of 17-4-1 and a third-place finish in the WCC. Pepperdine reached the NCAA Tournament for the 12th time in program history. The Waves made it to the round of 16 for the fourth time. Tori Waldeck earned All-WCC first team honors for the first time. Other returning players honored by the league were two second teamers (Carlee Giammona and Trinity Watson) and two WCC All-Freshman team recipients (Tabitha LaParl and Kam Pickett).
WAVES IN THE PROS — Several Waves have made their marks professionally. Lynn Williams is a three-time NWSL champion (2016 Western New York Flash, 2018 and 2019 North Carolina Courage). In 2016, she was also the NWSL MVP and Golden Boot winner. As a member of the U.S. National Team, she’s earned 43 caps and scored 14 goals. She won a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. 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.
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, three times (most recently in 2021-22). 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 #55 overall on U.S. News and World Report’s list of America’s best colleges.