MALIBU, Calif. – Facing another top-25 team on the road, No. 18 Santa Clara women's soccer fell to No. 17 Pepperdine by a final of 2-1. The loss drops the Broncos to 8-3-4 overall and 1-1-1 in WCC play and snaps a 10 game unbeaten streak. The Waves are now 11-3-0 with a 2-0-0 mark in conference.
Sofia Huerta scored the lone Bronco goal of the day on an assist from Julie Johnston in the 74th minute. Both Huerta and Johnston fired five shots to lead the team. Santa Clara was able to outshoot Pepperdine 14-6 but could not cash in on its chances. Making her second consecutive start, Lexi Rubattino made three saves.
The Broncos will return to the field Sun., Oct. 21 at 11 a.m. as they host Gonzaga.
The game was scoreless until nearly halftime when in the 43rd minute Michelle Pao took a free kick and found the back of the net to give the Waves a 1-0 lead. She buried her shot in the lower-left corner of the net.
Santa Clara broke through in the 74th minute on the fourth goal of the season for Huerta. She took a pass from Johnston and dribbled to free herself to shoot from the left side of the box. Huerta fired a shot across the goal to the far post from 10 yards out to even the score at 1-1.
Pepperdine bounced back in the 82nd minute to take the lead for good at 2-1. Lynn Williams weaved through traffic and into the box where she had just the goalkeeper in front of her. She blasted a shot past Rubattino to give the Waves the win.