IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine women's soccer drew first blood Sunday afternoon in Anteater Stadium, but visiting Pepperdine answered with four goals in response to drop the Anteaters, 4-1.
UC Irvine (4-2-3) was the aggressor early on offense, and sunk the match's first goal in the 16th minute.
Noel Baham got loose down the right wing, and her sharp cross into the middle of the box found
Shelby Lee unmarked who would head home her second goal of the season putting UCI ahead, 1-0.
The equalizer would come in the 22nd minute as
Aleah Kelley and a Pepperdine (5-2-2) forward battled for a loose ball on a transition play for the Waves, and the foul would be called leading to a penalty kick that Bri Visalli would finish to make it 1-1.
The half moved forward with quality play from each side, but the Waves would benefit from another foul in the box, this time from a sprawling
Maddie Newsom unable to beat a Wave forward to a ball, and Tara Morris converted her PK attempt in the 39th minute as Pepperdine would head to the break leading, 2-1.
The sides continued the chess match in the second half, and the Waves broke through getting behind the Anteaters as Joelle Anderson fed a through ball to Bri Visalli finishing the 1v1 opportunity for her second goal of the match extending the Pepperdine advantage to 3-1 in the 76th minute.
Anderson would get reward with a goal of her own on a nice from from the endline by Alex Marmureanu putting home the ball on the doorstep in the 81st minute for the final tally in a 4-1 victory.
The Waves finished with a slight shot advantage, 12-9, and Maddie Newsom would have one more save that her counterpart, Brielle Preece, stopping four to Preece's three. The teams were even on the afternoon on corner kicks (1-1) and fouls (7-7) while the 'Eaters drew the only two cards. Pepperdine was also called offside nine times to two for UCI.
Shelby Lee's goal was her second of the season and her career. The assist from Baham is her third this year, and she moves into a tie for fifth all-time with assist 16 of her career.
The loss ends a seven-match unbeated streak for the Anteaters stretching from the season's second game. UC Irvine does have a chance to get back to its winning ways with its next match coming up on Thursday, Sept. 21 with a trip to Santa Clara for a 7:30 p.m. match.
