MALIBU, Calif. — A two-goal first half by No. 19-ranked Pepperdine helped ignite the Waves' offense to a 3-0 clean sheet over the Cornell women's soccer team at Tari Frahm Rokus Field in Malibu, Calif., on a picturesque Sunday afternoon in Southern California.
Megan Edelman, Tabitha LaParl, and Kyra Murphy found the back of the net for the Waves (6-2-2), who extended their unbeaten streak to six matches (4-0-2). Jillian Medvecky (three saves) and Taylor Rath (one save) combined for the Waves' fourth clean sheet on the season.
Tanum Nelson, Reinna Gabriel, Laken Gallman, and Cecily Pokigo combined for the four shots on goal that the Big Red (1-4-4) registered on the day. Junior goalkeeper Natalie Medugno made five saves in the setback.
Pepperdine scored quickly in the match, finding the back of the net just 26 seconds after the first touch. Cornell tried to clear the ball out of its defensive third, but it went out of play, resulting in a corner kick for Pepperdine. After the Waves quickly returned the ball into play, a cross from the left wing was headed out of the penalty area, allowing Edelman to pick up the loose ball and send a 20-yard strike into the top left corner to give Pepperdine the early lead.
In the 22nd minute, Pepperdine increased its lead when Tatum Wynalda took a shot that Medugno stopped at the near-side post, but she couldn't hold onto the ball, resulting in another corner kick for Pepperdine. Medugno could not keep the ball above the goal line on the attempt, leading to a near-Olimpico-style goal.
Throughout the last 23-plus minutes of the first half, Cornell dominated play and had five shot attempts. Gabriel had a shot on goal in the 22nd minute, and Nelson had a shot on goal in the 28th minute, but Medvecky saved both attempts.
Senior defender
Cecily Pokigo logged Cornell's first shot on goal in the second half in the 57th minute, attempting a shot from 30-plus yards out after a clearing attempt by Pepperdine on a Cornell corner kick.
In the 63rd minute, after Cornell committed a turnover in its defensive third, Elle Quinn threaded a pass through the Big Red's defense, setting up Murphy to further increase the Waves' lead.
Gallman had a scoring chance in the 89th minute, attempting to thwart Pepperdine's bid at a clean sheet, but Rath got a fingertip on the ball, resulting in a Cornell corner kick.
MATCH NOTES
• Sunday was the first-ever meeting between Cornell and Pepperdine. It was Cornell's fourth contest against an active member of the Big West, having played Hawai'i on two occasions back in 2003 and 2006 and Long Beach State on Friday night. The Big Red is now 1-3-0 all-time against active Big West members.
• The match served as Cornell's ninth contest played outside the Eastern time zone and just the second since the 2006 season.
• Cornell has been held without a goal in consecutive matches for the first time since tying with Yale, 0-0, on Oct. 15, 2022, and falling to Brown, 2-0, on Oct. 22, 2022.
• Junior goalkeeper
Hannah Grimes made her collegiate debut, logging the final 9:27 minutes of action between the pipes for Cornell.
UP NEXT
Cornell will return to action on Saturday, Sept. 28, when the Big Red welcomes Princeton to begin the trio of athletic events on Homecoming. First touch between the Big Red and Tigers is scheduled for noon. Match action will be broadcast on ESPN+.
The Big Red will open Ancient Eight play against Princeton for the 11th time in program history and just the second time since 1999. Cornell is seeking to win its Ivy League-opening match for the first time since defeating Columbia, 1-0, on Sept. 25, 2021.
