Oct. 16, 2005

MALIBU, Calif. - Pepperdine's water polo team concluded play at the NorCal Tournament Sunday afternoon with a pair of victories over Long Beach State and UC San Diego to take fifth place in Berkeley, Calif.

In the Waves' (13-5, 1-1 MPSF) first match up of the day, Matt Digges scored four times and Grant Miller and Adam Hewko each scored twice to lead No. 5 Pepperdine to the 11-8 thumping over Long Beach State. Pepperdine scored three times in the first and second periods and netted four in the third quarter to take a 10-6 lead into the final frame. Senior Ben Tait stopped 11 shots in the victory, which advanced the Waves to the fifth-place game.

Pepperdine's second game of the day saw senior All-American Jesse Smith beat UC San Diego's goal keeper six times as the Waves downed the Tritons, 12-7, to claim fifth at the weekend's tournament. Hewko chipped in with three more goals, while Miller tacked on two and Digges one for the victory.

The Waves will return to action on Thurs., Oct. 20, when it hosts UCSD at 2 p.m. (PT) at Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool in Malibu, Calif.