MALIBU, Calif. – No. 19 Gonzaga women's soccer claimed the program's first-ever West Coast Conference title with a 3-1 road win at Pepperdine Saturday.
 
The Zags (13-3-2, 6-1-1 West Coast Conference) earned the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. It will be GU's second ever trip to the NCAA Tournament and the first since 2005.

"It's quite a day," Gonzaga Head Coach Chris Watkins said. "We were playing for a lot today. There have been a lot of people who have put on a Gonzaga uniform over the years that haven't got to have this moment. We're really excited and really proud. Giana just had a day of days."
 
Giana Riley recorded a hat trick in the Bulldog victory. She came into the match with nine goals, all in non-conference play, before scoring three times against the Waves. She now leads the conference in scoring with 12 goals.

"It's always nice to score goals, but I just wanted to do whatever to help the team win, whether its me scoring or helping a teammate score" Riley said. "It's surreal. After the game we were thinking, we really just did that. From our goalkeeper to the front line everyone did the work they needed to do."
 
Riley wasted no time opening the scoring with a strike past the Waves' goalkeeper in the fourth minute with an assist to Paige Alexander. Fifteen minutes later, the sophomore curled in a free kick into the back of the net.
 
In the 57th minute, Karina Gonzalez scored her fourth goal of the season off an assist from Tori Waldeck for Pepperdine's (9-4-5, 6-2-0 WCC) goal.
 
With the Waves' threatening to even the score, Riley headed in the Bulldogs' third goal to seal the historic victory and Willow Collins was credited with the assist.
 
It was Gonzaga's third win at Pepperdine in 16 matches all-time. It was the first win in Malibu over the Waves since 2005, the Zags' only season with an NCAA Tournament appearance. In 2005, GU fell at Southern California in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. This season's squad will learn their first round opponent and location during the selection show Monday at 1 p.m. Pacific Time.
 
Saturday at Pepperdine, the Bulldogs controlled 55 percent of the match's possession, but were outshot 16-10. GU however had the 8-7 edge in shots on goal. Lauren Towne made six crucial saves for the Zags, while Taylor Rath had five for the Waves.
 
Riley's 12 goals rank as the third-most in a single season in program history, with the record being 13. The Manteca, Calif., native, also ranks second all-time at GU with 30 points this season.  
 
The 2023 Zags increased their single season program records to 54 goals, 44 assists, and 150 points. Gonzaga won its sixth conference game in a season for the first time in program history, while its 13 victories are the second-most behind 2021's 15 wins.