Nov. 7, 2004
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The fourth-ranked Santa Clara women's soccer team clinched a share of its fourth straight West Coast Conference title with a 1-0 victory over Pepperdine in its final regular season match in front of 1,196 fans at Buck Shaw Stadium. With the win, Santa Clara finishes the regular season on a seven-match winning streak and with a 14-4-2 mark and a 6-1-0 record in WCC play.
"I am very happy that this team has another West Coast Conference Championship trophy," said head coach Jerry Smith. "I am also very pleased that we are playing well at the most important time of the season."
The fourth straight conference championship is also the eighth in the program's history and the eighth under Smith. The championship also clinches a NCAA postseason berth for the team, which marks the program's 16th consecutive trip to the tournament.
Senior forward Bree Horvath provided the game-winner for SCU less than four minutes into the second half. Freshman Brittany Klein checked into the match only minutes earlier and made her presence felt as she started the Broncos' strike towards the goal. Klein fed Megan Kakadelas, who after advancing the ball, found Horvath less than ten yards in front of the goal. The Danville native placed her shot into the upper left corner of the net for the match's only score.
Santa Clara dominated the pace of the match throughout both halves, outshooting the Waves 7-5. In the first half, the Broncos had many solid scoring opportunities with much of the action taking place in their offensive half of the field. SCU had seven corner kicks in the first 45 minutes and 10 in the match.
Defensively, the Broncos posted their sixth consecutive and 12th overall shutout of the season. Goalkeeper Julie Ryder tallied her ninth on the season to go along with two saves in the match.
Prior to the beginning of the contest, Santa Clara honored its senior class. Lana Bowen, Horvath, Kakadelas, Leslie Osborne, Alyssa Sobolik, and Monika Sola were each accompanied by family members in a pregame ceremony before playing in their last regular season match at Buck Shaw Stadium. Bowen, Horvath, Osborne, and Sobolik were freshmen on the Broncos' 2001 National Championship team,
The Broncos will find out where and when they will play next during the NCAA Selection Show on Monday. ESPN will televise the show at 1:00 p.m.