Mia Fishel and her No. 4 ranked UCLA Women’s Soccer teammates scored three first-half goals to run away with a 3-0 victory over No. 25 Pepperdine in both teams' season opener in Malibu.
UCLA senior Marley Canales, who missed half of the 2019 season with an ACL injury, assisted on all three goals, and freshman Reilyn Turner contributed a goal and assist in her collegiate debut.
UCLA, who had not played an official game in 429 games, came out swinging, as sophomore Fishel netted the first goal of the season in the eighth minute. The goal came as a result of a free-kick that Turner headed and Fishel finished in front of the goal. Canales and Turner linked up again in the 22nd minute, executing a give-and-go that Turner flicked past Pepperdine goalkeeper Kinsey Ehmann for her first collegiate goal. Redshirt senior Jacey Pederson, who had not played in an official game since November 2nd, 2018, earned her first collegiate goal as well in the 30th minute, scoring off a Canales corner kick.
