Pepperdine women's soccer (11-6-2) faces No. 17 UCLA (11-5-3) in the NCAA Tournament opening round. The Waves recently secured back-to-back West Coast Conference titles after defeating San Francisco 3-1, with standout performances by Julia Quinonez and Tatum Wynalda. Quinonez leads the team with 11 goals this season, while Wynalda tops the conference with 10 assists, showcasing Pepperdine's offensive depth. The matchup holds significance as Pepperdine looks to build on past NCAA successes, having reached the Sweet 16 in 2017.

By the Numbers
  • Pepperdine scored 41 goals this season, led by three players with double-digit scoring.
  • Quinonez has 11 goals and 26 points, ranking second in the WCC for both categories.
State of Play
  • Both teams are entering the NCAA matchup after contrasting outcomes; Pepperdine clinched the WCC title while UCLA lost in the Big Ten tournament.
  • Pepperdine's history against UCLA includes only two wins on the road, highlighting the challenge ahead.
What's Next

Should Pepperdine win, they will advance in the tournament with hopes of repeating their 2017 success. Increased visibility and contention in the NCAA landscape will be pivotal for the program’s growth.

Bottom Line

This matchup against UCLA is critical for Pepperdine to demonstrate growth and capitalize on past achievements, potentially propelling them to deeper NCAA Tournament runs in the future.