The Pepperdine Waves women’s soccer team’s outstanding season ended on Nov. 21 with a loss in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 round.
The 19th-ranked Waves, a fourth seed, were downed, 1-0, by the Florida State Seminoles, the tournament’s top overall seed, on the Seminoles’ home field in Tallahassee, Fla.
Pepperdine head coach Tim Ward called this year’s Waves group one of the best in the program’s history.
“That’s something to be proud of,” he said. “That’s a legacy they can be proud of years and years from now.”
Florida State’s Jody Brown kicked the game-winner in the fifth minute. The Waves’ defense kept the Seminoles out of the back of the net during the second half, but Pepperdine only managed four shots at the goal during the contest. The scoring attempts were kicked by redshirt freshman defender Kam Pickett, freshman midfielder Tabitha LaParl, sophomore midfielder Tori Waldeck, and sophomore defender Victoria Romero.
Waves goalkeeper Zoe Clevely, a redshirt senior, had three saves in the contest.
This was the fourth time a Waves soccer club had advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament and the fifth time Pepperdine earned a national seed.
Ward liked how Waves played against the Seminoles, favorites to win the NCAA crown.
“We basically went man-for-man on the field,” he said. “I think we did a nice job.”
The Waves kicked their way to a 3-0 win over the North Carolina State Wolfpack on Nov. 19 in the tournament’s second round before facing Florida State. Redshirt senior forwards Joelle Anderson, and Calista Reyes scored along with Carlee Giammona, a junior midfielder, in the contest as Pepperdine outshot the Wolfpack, 20-3.
It was a record win for Pepperdine. Anderson, who was drafted by the National Women’s Soccer League’s Houston Dash in January, registered her 24th career assist, which tied a Waves record, and Waldeck tied a single-season record by recording her 10th assist. Clevely earned her 17th win of the season, which set a new single-season record for Pepperdine goalies.
Reyes scored in the game’s second minute after receiving a pass from Waldeck. She took the ball to the middle of the box and nailed a left-footed kick past NC State’s goalie. It was the quickest score by th e Waves in their NCAA tournament history.
Anderson passed the ball to Giammona in the 67th minute. Giammona beat two defenders and then struck the ball with her right foot, sending it flying into the net.
Anderson received the ball from sophomore forward Alex Sampson around four minutes later. She then booted the ball with her left foot from 18 yards out past the goalkeeper to put Pepperdine up, 3-0.
The Waves began the NCAA Tournament with a 7-1 home triumph over South Dakota State on Nov. 13.
Pepperdine ended the season with a 17-4-1 record.
Ward said he was proud of the season his team had and the effort they and his coaching staff put in.
“We all work so hard, but we want to serve and support our student athletes ,” he said. “This is the 29th team in Pepperdine soccer history, and we are so proud of them.”