Gaels Snap Another Waves Win Streak, Sweep Season Series
10/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 30, 2004
Final Stats
MALIBU, Calif. - Saint Mary's did something Friday night no other West Coast Conference team had ever done, sweep Pepperdine on its home floor. The 31-29, 30-25, 30-23 victory was also the first Gaels' win in 18 trips to Malibu.
Game one was the back-breaker for Pepperdine, which fell to 6-12 (3-5 WCC). After trading points over the first eight, a Kristin McClune kill sparked a 7-1 run for the Waves and forced a Saint Mary's timeout. A point later, the first of a career-high four solo blocks from Melissa Mehlhorn was followed by an ace from Kristen Shultz giving Pepperdine a 13-7 advantage. McClune's third kill of the game had Pepperdine seemingly in control and forced the final timeout from Saint Mary's. But something during the break awoke the Gaels as they used an 11-3 run to reclaim the lead 25-23. Another McClune kill completed Pepperdine's comeback and knotted the game at 27-all. Shultz's third kill of the night was followed by a Mehlhorn and Sophia Milo block had Pepperdine serving for the game, 29-28. But a Lindsey Bogason kill capped a 3-0 run and gave the Gaels a 1-0 lead in the match.
Milo was the lone Wave to record a double-digit kill night with 12. Mehlhorn dished out 37 assists and had a team-high five total blocks, while Christina Hinds was a giant on the back row logging 30 digs.
Saint Mary's (18-2, 7-1 WCC) was led by Bogason's 18 kills on 41 swings as three Gaels notched double-figure kill nights. Bogason tacked on 12 digs and was one of four players to finish the night with double-doubles - Mandy Bible (44 assists, 11 digs), Kaui Salzman (10 kills, 17 digs), Cassandra Kolkka (12 kills, 18 digs).
The Gaels grabbed an early lead in game two and held off several Pepperdine attempts to change the momentum. Trailing by three, 16-13, Pepperdine got kills from Milo, Katy Daly and McClune during a 3-1 run. But coming out of a Saint Mary's timeout the Waves were called for illegal rotation. Miscues would take their toll on Pepperdine again as Lecca Roberts was called for being in the net on a Gaels' overpass. Trailing by three, 22-19, Mehlhorn's solo block was followed by a Roberts kill and pulled Pepperdine to within one. But Roberts whiffed on an over pass and Saint Mary's refused to let the Waves back in the game.
The Gaels' only miscue in game three was arriving back to the court late from the intermission, which resulted in a team yellow card. A McClune kill evened the game up at 6-6 but Saint Mary's responded with 9-2 run. Saint Mary's would lead by as many as 11 late but Pepperdine wasn't ready to go down quietly. Trailing by nine at match point, the Waves scored the next three but it was not enough.
Pepperdine's streak of seven consecutive post-season appearances is now in dire straights as the Waves have to win all seven of its remaining matches to end the season with a better-than-.500 record, a condition for being selected to the field of 64.
The Waves will begin its run tomorrow night as it returns to Firestone Fieldhouse at 7:00 p.m. to take on the San Francisco Dons. Pepperdine has never lost to the Dons in Malibu and is 1-0 head-to-head already this season.
