MALIBU, Calif. - No. 24 Pepperdine held strong against No. 4 UCLA at Tari Frahm Rokus Field on Friday afternoon, almost getting a win, but finishing out with 1-1 tie in double overtime.

Freshman forward Lynn Williams (Fresno, Calif./Bullard HS) found the back of the net for the Waves, tallying her fourth goal in her first five collegiate matches.

The Waves started off fast, getting a cross and a shot by Katie Gallanes (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza HS) that carried from the right side and almost landed in the upper left corner of the goal within the first 30 seconds of the match. The next few minutes were back and forth, with the Waves garnering a corner kick and then goalkeeper Roxanne Barker (Irvine, Calif./Woodbridge HS) coming up with two huge back-to-back saves off Bruin attacks.

As the teams found their legs, the Waves were able to possess the ball and move it around. Barker stymied multiple attacks by the Bruins, including a 1v1 opportunity from Zakiya Bywaters.  At the 35:42 mark in the first half, a ball was served in off a cross and found the feet of Williams, who deposited the ball past Bruin goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland to put the Waves up 1-0. Anisa Guajardo (Clovis, Calif./Buchanan HS) and Karissa Garcia (Roseville, Calif./Oakmont HS) both assisted on the goal.

At the end of the first half, the Waves held a 1-0 lead, despite being outshot, 8 to 5. Barker finished the half with five saves.

In the second half the Bruins kept pushing the ball forward, putting numbers up as they tried for that equalizer goal. The Waves defensive line of Michelle Pao (Cupertino, Calif./Monta Vista HS), Kelsea Smith (Camarillo, Calif./Oaks Christian HS), Kristin DeGrandmont (Portland, Ore./Jesuit HS) and Myriah Stockman (Sandy, Utah/Brighton HS) staved off multiple attacks by a very athletic Bruin side. In the 88th minute, Bywaters served a cross from the left corner flag that found a crashing Ally Courtnall, who pushed the ball into the back of the net for the Bruins’ equalizer.

Through regulation, the game could have gone either way, with both sides having the opportunity to put away the game, but with a 1-1 tie, the teams headed into overtime.

In the first 10-minute overtime period, Williams had a shot at the 5:35 mark, but Rowland was able to collect it for the save. Barker came up with a save in the 8th minute and at the end of regulation the score still stood tied at 1-1.

The Waves and Bruins entered into the final 10 minute overtime having already played 100 minutes of excellent soccer. The defensive unit of the Waves continued to hold shape and the offense countered on the Bruins and at the 9:00 mark, Garcia had a chance to put the game away, with a shot from the left side, about 15 yards out. Rowland made the save and the ball was back at Garcia’s feet for a second chance, but the Bruin keeper again came up with an excellent save. The Bruins countered the other way and Bywaters made a run with the ball down the left side and cracked an excellent shot with 11 second left that careened off the crossbar.

With neither team able to take advantage and put the game away, the 1-1 score held up.

Barker finished with 10 saves and the Waves racked up 10 shots. Williams led the team with five shots and her goal was the fourth of her freshman season.

Head coach Tim Ward, explained, “Today’s game really tested our character and resolve. It was kind of like what we did to Cal State Fullerton last week, scoring the tying goal with 44 second left. We haven’t been in this position yet this year.

Overtime is just a matter of gut and I thought we did a really good job. We had a couple of chances to put it away. I think it’s a great result for us. It is something to build on and it really showed us what we are made of.”

The tie keeps the Waves undefeated at 4-0-1 and puts the Bruins at 3-0-1.

The Waves will stay home in Malibu for their second match of the weekend, as they host Michigan at 1 p.m. PT on Sunday (Sept. 4) at Tari Frahm Rokus Field.