MALIBU, Calif. --- A tense match between UC Irvine and Pepperdine turned on a pair of key second half moments towards the Waves who handed UCI a 2-0 loss Sunday afternoon at Tai Frahm Rokus Field.

The sides battled through the opening half without a goal totaling three shots for the first 40 minutes. The 'Eaters (2-5-1) turned a pair of attempts on frame from Scarlett Camberos and Elizabeth Hutchison.

The second half was back-and-forth until Pepperdine (4-5-0) finally broke through in the 57th minute. Joelle Anderson, who minutes earlier just missed a free kick attempt, got her revenge set up by Trinity Watson and Hailey Stenberg slotting a ball home from the middle of the box to make it 1-0, Waves.

The Anteater comeback chances took a big him just a minute later as Aleah Kelley's aggressive play on a cross in the box led to a collision with Pepperdine keeper Brielle Preece. The result was a straight red card issued to Kelley leaving UC Irvine with 10 players for the remainder of the match.

Pepperdine would take advantage soon thereafter putting home a second strike. Trinity Watson served up a corner kick finding a charging Isabel Nelson in the box whose header clipped the crossbar and fell in for a 2-0 lead for the Waves.

The disadvantage for the 'Eaters was evident as they managed just two second half shots to Pepperdine's nine and the inability to create an attack dropped UCI to the 2-0 defeat.

Maddie Newsom made three saves in the losing effort. The Waves saved three shots, but just one was credited to keeper Brielle Preece with the other two thanks to defenders.

UCI has one final match on its road swing before returning home. The 'Eaters head to San Francisco for a 7:00 p.m. match Friday, Sep. 21 before returning home on Sep. 23 vs. USD.

NOTES: Grad student Reema Bzeih played in her 50th career match, the third Anteater to reach the mark this season and 71st in program history...Bzeih also started her 50th match, the 42nd Anteater in program history with 50 or more starts...the red card for UCI is the program's first since Oct. 23, 2014, a span of 72 matches