SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – No. 9 Pepperdine women’s soccer defeated UC Santa Barbara, 3-0, on Friday at Harder Stadium on two goals from forward Michelle Manning and one from defender Myriah Stockman.  

The win keeps the Waves undefeated on the season at 7-0-2 and extends their unbeaten streak to 10. The streak, which stems back to last season, is tied for third-longest in school history.

The Waves controlled the match with great possession and team play from the starting whistle, earning two corner kicks within the first five minutes of the match. The team was unable to find the back of the net on those quality chances, but struck twice in the first half, with Manning (Calabasas, Calif./Agoura HS) netting her first goal of the game and Stockman (Sandy, Utah/Brighton HS) putting away her second goal of the season. The Waves continued the play on the Gauchos’ side of the field in the second half, with the Manning putting away a penalty kick for her second goal of the game and fourth of the season.

In the first half, the Waves went on the offensive onslaught early, with the team having scoring opportunities within the first five minutes of the half. Manning got the scoring started in the 15^th minute, as she found the ball at her feet off a service from Michelle Pao (Cupertino, Calif./Monta Vista HS) to Lynn Williams (Fresno, Calif./Bullard HS) and a misplayed header from a Gaucho defender. She one-timed a hard right-footed shot from 15 yards out into the upper right corner of the goal. The score was the third of the season for Manning and gave the Waves a 1-0 lead.

On the goal, Manning explained, “Lynn hit a great ball across, Laura Cole shielded it and I was able to hit it home.”

The Waves would strike again at the 22:37 mark, with Williams placing a cross right on the top of the box to a streaking Stockman who put away a low, hard shot into the lower left corner to put the Waves up 2-0. The goal was her second of the season. The assist was Williams’ team-leading sixth of the season.

Goalkeeper Roxanne Barker (Irvine, Calif./Woodbridge HS) made a stellar diving to her right off a shot by UCSB’s Kelly McGrath from 25 yards out to keep the score at 2-0 going into the half.

After the first half, the Waves had garnered five corner kicks to the Gauchos’ zero. They also had six shots to the Gauchos’ five. Barker made three saves in the half.

In the second half the Waves again came out offensively-minded and controlled the possession. With 32 minutes left in the match, Williams took the ball herself into the box, where the Gaucho goalkeeper came off her line and fouled Williams in the box, and a penalty kick was awarded to the Waves. Manning took the kick and calmly knocked the ball home for her second goal of the game and fourth of the season to give the Waves a 3-0 lead.

The 3-0 score would hold up to the final whistle, giving the Waves their seventh win of the season. The team finished with nine shots and Barker had four saves.

“I really thought this was our best performance of the season against a quality opponent on their home field,” head coach Tim Ward explained. “I was really proud of how the team played together tonight and the quality chances we created around the goal.”

Manning echoed Ward’s sentiments, saying, “The team really locked it down and really stepped hard in the second half when they were pressing us. We got a great win on the road.”

Next up for the Waves is a trip to San Luis Obispo, Calif. to face Cal Poly a 1 p.m. on Sunday (Sept. 18).  

Sept. 16, 2011 – Harder Field
No. 9 Pepperdine 3, UC Santa Barbara 0
PEP 2 – 1 = 3
UCSB 0 – 0 =0

SCORING:
14:58 – PEP: Michelle Manning
22:37 – PEP: Myriah Stockman
58:20 – PEP: Michelle Manning

SAVES: Roxanne Barker (PEP) 4, Makenna Henry (UCSB) 1

SHOTS: PEP 9, UCSB 8

CORNER KICKS: PEP 6, UCSB 3