SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Despite trailing by three goals with less than 30 minutes to go, Santa Clara women's soccer completed an unbelievable comeback to top Pepperdine 4-3 Wednesday night.
The Waves (7-6-2, 3-2 WCC) looked like they had taken control of the game with two quick goals in the second half but the Broncos (9-5-2, 3-0-2) stormed back and scored four unanswered in under 14 minutes.
The comeback was completed in the 76th minute on a beautiful shot by Izzy D'Aquila to give her back the team lead with 11 goals. Kelcie Hedge found D'Aquila in the box and she hit her shot off the crossbar and down into the net to make it 4-3.
Minutes earlier, in the 70th, the Broncos drew even at 3-all on a penalty kick. Kelsey Turnbow got taken down in the box and Julie Doyle took the chance that she finished inside the right post.
The comeback began in earnest when Santa Clara scored a pair of goals in just under three minutes. Right after the Waves had scored their third of the night and second in 69 seconds, Kelcie Hedge cleaned up a saved shot to get the Broncos on the board in the 62nd.
Then, in the 64th, Turnbow hit a perfect shot from outside the box that went high and over the leaping Pepperdine keeper to make it a 3-2 game. It was Turnbow's 10th of the year, briefly tying her with D'Aquila for the team lead.
Pepperdine struck first to take a 1-0 lead in the 32nd minute. Joelle Anderson sent a nice through ball to Leyla McFarland who got one on one with Courtney Ogren and was able to beat her.
Anderson and Devyn Gilfoy added a pair of goals for the Waves in the 60th and 61st minutes to stretch the lead to 3-0.
HIGHLIGHTS
WHAT. A. COMEBACK.
— Santa Clara Women's Soccer (@SCUWomensSoccer) October 24, 2019
Hedge, Turnbow, Doyle and D'Aquila score to help the #SCUBroncos erase a 3-0 deficit and defeat Pepperdine 4-3! #StampedeTogether pic.twitter.com/VOSRooonHd
QUOTABLE
VIDEO | Hear from head coach @SCUJerrySmith after the #SCUBroncos unreal comeback against @WavesSoccer.
— Santa Clara Women's Soccer (@SCUWomensSoccer) October 24, 2019
➡️ So proud of the team.
➡️ Never been a part of a game like this.
➡️ Got four goals from four different players in a pressure game.#StampedeTogether pic.twitter.com/iFG1INFOyK
NOTES
- Santa Clara is now 15-11 all-time against Pepperdine.
- The Broncos put 11 of their 16 shots on goal.
- Courtney Ogren made seven saves in net.
- Sophie Whitehouse got her first Santa Clara win after playing the final 28:45 in net.
UP NEXT
The Broncos head on the road to play at Gonzaga Saturday at 7 p.m.
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