The University of Arizona soccer team lost 3-0 to Pepperdine University on Sunday, Sept. 7, at 10:30 a.m. at Mulcahy Stadium. This is the Wildcats third loss of the season and their first on their home field.
First half
Arizona and Pepperdine traded off possession throughout a majority of the first half of play, each team getting chances at goal. Arizona had seven shots in the half, none of them finding the net.
Pepperdine had four, one of them in the 30th minute of play, slipping past Arizona’s Olivia Ramey and into the net. Julia Quinonez, a junior forward, secured their first goal of the match.
Following Pepperdine’s goal, an adrenaline kick started on the pitch, leading to several fouls on both sides of the field. Arizona earned eight in the first half alone with Pepperdine trailing with four. The aggressive play was crucial in maintaining possession of the ball for both teams.
The remaining minutes in the first half remained scoreless with the Wildcats walking into the second half trailing 1-0.
Second half
Arizona came out hungry for a goal in the second half, getting off six shots in comparison to Pepperdine’s three. Unfortunately for Arizona, its shots weren’t falling and they remained behind.
For the first 40 minutes of the second half, neither team scored and possession traded back and forth across the pitch. As the clock reached its’ 84th minute of the game, Pepperdine’s Alex Pendleton, a sophomore midfielder, had her first and only goal of the game, the team’s second.
Arizona, now anxious with only five minutes left of play and down two goals, struggled to find any connecting passes and movement up top.
Two minutes after Pendleton’s goal, Kyra Murphy, a junior midfielder, scored Pepperdine’s third and final goal of the match to secure a 3-0 victory.
Defeated, Arizona let the ball move around the field until the clock ultimately solidified their loss.
Looking ahead
Arizona soccer will verse GCU in their next home matchup on Sunday, Sept. 14 at 11 a.m. at Mulcahy Stadium. The Wildcats hold a 2-1-1 record over GCU, looking to push for another win.
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