On the road for the seventh time this season, the No. 3 UCLA women’s soccer team squeaked by Pepperdine 2-0 in front of 409 people at Teri Frahm Rokus Field on Friday.
With the win, the Bruins have now won nine consecutive games while improving their season record to 9-1-1. The Waves dropped to 6-4 on the season.
“We played well in the first half,” coach Jillian Ellis said. “In the second half, we couldn’t get any rhythm, but you know what, to come in here. “¦ I’ll take (the win).”
UCLA’s first goal came in the seventh minute when sophomore forward Sydney Leroux scored off of a penalty kick.
The Waves’ freshman goalkeeper Roxanne Barker was called for a foul after she came out past the line to stop Leroux, who then took advantage of the penalty call.
UCLA scored its second and final goal in the closing minute.
After the Bruins pushed quickly past midfield, freshman midfielder Chelsea Cline shot the ball from the top of the box into the lower left corner of the post, sealing the win.
Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Chante’ Sandiford also did her part to stave off the Waves.
In the 64th minute, Sandiford made a critical save when, in a penalty kick situation, Pepperdine’s Kelly Reilly shot the ball towards the post, only to have the Bruin goalkeeper thwart it.
“I saw the way (Reilly’s) body was shaped,” Sandiford said. “I knew which way she was going to go, and it was just a matter of getting my hands there.”