MORAGA, Calif. ­Â— The #11/#15 Pepperdine women’s volleyball tied its best start in school history and improved to 13-0 overall with a nail-biting five-set victory (25-22, 23-25, 17-25, 28-26, 15-10) at Saint Mary’s in the West Coast Conference opener for both schools on Thursday night.

 

The Waves (13-0, 1-0) also began with 13 straight wins in 1997. Saint Mary’s, which was receiving votes in this week’s AVCA poll, dropped to 10-4, 0-1.

 

Four Waves had double-doubles and freshman libero Stevi Robinson (Hermosa Beach, Calif./Mira Costa HS) recorded a remarkable 30 digs. Senior outside hitter Julie Rubenstein (Camarillo, Calif./Oaks Christian HS) had 20 kills and 17 digs, junior setter Kiah Fiers (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif./Peninsula HS) had 43 assists and 16 digs, freshman outside hitter Lilla Frederick (Huntington Beach, Calif./Cornelia Connelly HS) had 14 kills and 12 digs and junior outside hitter Rachel Lumsden (Brea, Calif./Brea Olinda HS) had 10 kills and 11 digs. Freshman middle blocker Kim Hill (Portland, Ore./Portland Christian HS) added 13 kills and five blocks.

 

Saint Mary’s served for the match three times in the fourth set, at 24-23, 25-24 and 26-25. But Frederick, Rubenstein and Lumsden recorded kills on each point to even the match back up. Tied at 26-26, Frederick finally gave the Waves the advantage with a kill, and Rubenstein ended the set with a service ace.

 

The fifth set didn’t have quite the drama as the Waves scored the first six points, largely behind three kills and a block by Hill.

 

The Waves had a .217 to .205 edge in hitting. Both teams recorded more than 100 digs.

 

Megan York had 21 kills and 21 digs to lead the Gaels.

 

Pepperdine defeated Saint Mary’s for the fifth time in the last six meetings, but won in Moraga for just the second time in the last five trips. During Pepperdine’s 13-match win streak, the Waves have lost only five sets, two coming tonight.

 

Pepperdine is ranked #11 by Molten/Volleyball Magazine and #15 by the AVCA.

 

The Waves next compete at #23 Santa Clara on Saturday (Oct. 4) at 1 p.m.