Story Links
The Pepperdine women’s soccer team opens up the 2024 season with two brand new opponents, playing Utah State and Georgia Southern at Waipi’o Peninsula Soccer Stadium.
MATCH #1 — Thursday (Aug. 15) at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu, Hawaii: Pepperdine (0-0) vs. Utah State (0-0) at 7 p.m.
MATCH #2 — Sunday (Aug. 18) at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu, Hawaii: Pepperdine (0-0) vs. Georgia Southern (0-0) at 3 p.m.
ONLINE — Both matches will not be streamed for viewing. Links to live stats can be found at PepperdineWaves.com.
UTAH STATE — Pepperdine has never played Utah State. The Aggies finished last year 14-8-1, including 9-2 in conference. In the first round of the NCAA tournament, Utah State fell to former WCC foe BYU 0-2. Kaylie Chambers returns for the Aggies as their leader with four goals and five assists on the 2023 season.
GEORGIA SOUTHERN— This will also be the Waves’ first meeting against the Eagles. Georgia Southern’s last season ended in the second round of the Sun Belt tournament with a loss to Old Dominion, who went on to the NCAA tournament. Outscoring opponents 35-22 in 2023, the Eagles never lost by more than one goal.
ROSTER NUMBERS — The Waves’ 30-player roster breakdown is three graduates, four seniors, two redshirt juniors, five juniors, three redshirt sophomores, three sophomores, one redshirt freshman and 10 true freshmen. Pepperdine has 19 returners, including eight postseason starters. Two Waves — Victoria Romero and Tori Waldeck — are back for an extra season after utilizing COVID-19 redshirt years. Graduate transfer Megan Edelman comes to Pepperdine after winning a 2022 National Championship in her four years at UCLA.
WCC — The Waves were picked to finish third in the WCC preseason coaches poll for a third consecutive season. The order went as follows: Santa Clara, Washington State, Pepperdine, Portland, Gonzaga, Saint Mary’s, San Francisco, Oregon State, Pacific, Loyola Marymount, and San Diego.
LAST SEASON — The Waves finished second in the WCC with their 13th NCAA tournament appearance in the 2023 season. Pepperdine lost in the first round to NCAA national-runner up Stanford. Retuners Taylor Bloom and Tori Waldeck earned spots on the United Soccer Coaches All-West Region Teams. Waldeck also WCC Player of the Year while returning sophomore Julia Quinonez recieved WCC Freshman of the Year.
WAVES IN THE PROS — Several Waves have made their marks professionally. Lynn Williams is a four-time NWSL champion (2016 Western New York Flash, 2018 and 2019 North Carolina Courage, and 2023 Gotham FC). In 2016, she was also the NWSL MVP and Golden Boot winner. As a member of the U.S. National Team, she’s earned 70 caps and scored 19 goals. She won a gold medal in the most recent 2024 Olympics in Paris as well as a bronze in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Williams made her World Cup debut in summer of 2023. 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. In June 2023, Kelsey Hill signed with Angel City FC as a national team replacement player.
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, four times (most recently in 2022-23). 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 #76 overall on U.S. News and World Report’s list of America’s best colleges.
Source link : https://pepperdinewaves.com/news/2024/8/14/womens-soccer-waves-open-2024-season-in-hawai-i.aspx
Author :
Publish date : 2024-08-15 01:28:37
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.