CSTV Sunday Night Spikes: Pepperdine Versus Southern California
8/31/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Aug. 31, 2004
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The CSTV Sunday Night Spikes: AVCA Match of the Week series commences Sunday, September 5, with a Southern California at Pepperdine match featuring cross-town archrivals who will be meeting for the 39th time as they each begin their quest for a national title. The match will be shown live at 6 p.m. ET. Pepperdine advanced to the NCAA Division I Tournament region semifinals last year and finished the season with a 27-3 overall record. The Waves return four starters in addition to their libero, but must compensate for the loss of three-time AVCA All-American Katie Wilkins (OH) and All-West Coast Conference First-Team selection Lyndsey Hache' (MB). Melissa Mehlhorn (Jr., S), an AVCA All-Pacific Region honorable mention and All-WCC First-Team selection, will direct the Pepperdine offense in 2004. Among her hitting options will be Katy Daly (Jr., OH) and Sophia Milo (So., MB). Milo earned WCC Freshman of the Year and All-WCC honorable mention. Daly was selected All-WCC honorable mention. Christina Hinds (Sr., L) capped the 2003 season by being named WCC Defensive Player of the Year. As a team, Pepperdine has been a model of success over the last five years. The Waves have not lost a conference match in the past three years. Pepperdine has not experienced a league loss since the 2000 WCC regular season finale against Santa Clara. The Waves have won at least 23 matches each season since 1999. USC, the two-time defending NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Champions, have won an NCAA-record 49 straight matches including victories over Georgia Tech and Minnesota last week at the NACWAA Volleyball Classic. No team has won the Division I championship three years in a row, including the pre-NCAA era. The Trojans entered the match as the top-ranked team in the USA Today/CSTV Top 25 Coaches Preseason Poll conducted by the AVCA. USC has been ranked number one 22 straight times. Pepperdine opens its 2004 season as the ninth-ranked team in the preseason poll after finishing 2003 ranked sixth. USC has not lost since a five-game setback to Stanford on Nov. 2. The Trojans have won 68 of its last 69 matches and have not lost outside the Pac-10 since dropping a five-game match to Wisconsin on Sept. 2, 2001. USC is led by AVCA All-America First-Team selections Emily Adams (Sr., MB) and Bibiana Candelas (Jr., MB), in addition to AVCA All-America Second Team pick Keao Burdine (Sr., OH). Burdine has been selected the NCAA Division I Volleyball Championship Tournament Most Outstanding Player the past two years. The Trojans lost three-time AVCA All-American April Ross (OH) to graduation following the 2003 season. The USC-Pepperdine match is part of the Courtyard Marriott Beach Classic held Sept. 5 in Malibu, Calif. The 2004 CSTV Sunday Night Spikes: AVCA Match of the Week telecasts feature teams from 12 different conferences showcasing some of the top players in pursuit of a national title. This year marks the second year for the national volleyball package on CSTV.
Future CSTV Sunday Night Spikes: AVCA Match of the Week Schedule (All Times ET)
Sept. 12 - Florida at Minnesota - 6 p.m.
Sept. 19 - Notre Dame at South Carolina - 6 p.m.
Sept. 26 - Pepperdine at Hawai'i - 6:00 p.m.
Oct. 3 - Southwest Missouri State at Northern Iowa - 6 p.m.
Oct. 10 - Texas at Kansas State - 6 p.m.
Oct. 17 - Long Beach State at UC Santa Barbara - 6 p.m.
Oct. 24 - Pepperdine at Santa Clara - 6 p.m.
Oct. 31 - Stanford at California - 6 p.m.
Nov. 7 - Colorado State at Nebraska - 6 p.m.
Nov. 14 - Colorado State at Utah - 4:30 p.m.
Nov. 14 - Texas A&M at Texas - 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 21: Patriot League Championship, 4 p.m.; at American University
Nov. 21: WAC Championship, 6 p.m.; at University of Nevada, Reno
