Pepperdine Women's Soccer to Face San Diego State in Final Non-Conference Match

Head Coach Tim Ward expressed pride in the team's progress, stating, "We’re really proud of the work we’ve been doing and the trajectory we’re on. I expect a tough game Thursday but we are really looking forward to it." The Waves recently secured a 2-0 victory at home against Arizona, propelled by Julia Quinonez's second brace of the season. Ava Hartstein played a key role in the shutout, saving a penalty kick in the 11th minute, which earned her the WCC defensive player of the week honor.

According to a unanimous coaches' poll, Pepperdine has been predicted to finish first in the West Coast Conference. Three seniors—Peyton Leonard, Kyra Murphy, and Julia Quinonez—were selected for the preseason all-conference team, marking the third consecutive year that the Waves have had three players recognized. Leonard and Quinonez were also featured as returners on the MAC Hermann Trophy positional players to watch, both having made the United Soccer Coaches All-West Region First Team last season.

With no postseason tournament scheduled for the WCC this year, Pepperdine aims to claim the conference title for the second straight year, which would mark their sixth overall championship. The team has previously achieved back-to-back titles only once, in 2016 and 2017.

Ward, in his 28 years of coaching, has amassed over 300 wins and five WCC Coach of the Year awards. Under his leadership, Pepperdine has celebrated six WCC titles and made four NCAA Sweet 16 appearances with ten players earning national team honors.

Peyton Leonard, returning for her senior year, has established herself as a vital player, known for her defensive skills and offensive contributions, having tallied four goals and three assists last season. She was listed as No. 60 in the Top Drawer Soccer Top 100 Players across the NCAA.

Julia Quinonez has been a standout this season, scoring seven goals in eight matches and receiving two WCC offensive player of the week honors for her performance, which includes three goals in her last two matches. As the WCC's top returning goal-scorer, she netted 11 goals last season and provided four assists.

Kyra Murphy, in her fifth year, has played 70 matches, including 41 starts, making her the most experienced player on the team. She has 11 goals and 10 assists to her name. Goalkeeper Jillian Medvecky, returning for her junior year, has started all but one game in her two seasons, maintaining a goals against average of 1.23 and recording 123 saves.

The Waves have amassed a significant following in their pursuit of resilience, particularly with a challenging non-conference schedule to prepare them for the upcoming WCC season.

In terms of their history with San Diego State, Pepperdine holds an 8-4-1 advantage overall, though they lost a close 3-2 match at home last season where Murphy and Quinonez scored.

SDSU, currently with a record of 4-2-1, is coming off a 2-1 victory against Utah Valley and has demonstrated offensive prowess, outscoring opponents 14-5 this season. Katie Senn leads the team with four goals, while goalkeeper Kailey Carlen has recorded 20 saves with a goals against average of 0.73.

Thursday's match will be the final opportunity for the Waves to compete before beginning WCC play the following week against Portland on September 23. Fans can follow the match live on YouTube and track live stats at www.pepperdinewaves.com.

Pepperdine women's soccer, established in 1993, has consistently been competitive, with Ward at the helm for 14 NCAA tournament appearances and five WCC championships, including four trips to the round of 16, most recently in 2021. Ward's record stands at 324-160-80 across 24 winning seasons.