SAN DIEGO, Calif. ­Â— The #15 Pepperdine women’s volleyball team suffered just its second setback of the season on Thursday night, as the Waves fell in a five-set thriller at #17 San Diego in West Coast Conference play.
The Waves dropped to 16-2 overall and 4-2 in the WCC in the 25-20, 20-25, 22-25, 25-19, 12-15 loss. The Toreros improved to 15-3, 5-1. Both of the Waves’ losses this season have come to Top 25 teams in five sets on the road.
Junior outside hitter Rachel Lumsden (Brea, Calif./Brea Olinda HS) had a team-high 18 kills, senior outside hitter Julie Rubenstein (Camarillo, Calif./Oaks Christian HS) had 11 kills and 17 digs and freshman middle blocker Kim Hill (Portland, Ore./Portland Christian HS) had 10 kills and six blocks.
Freshman libero Stevi Robinson (Hermosa Beach, Calif./Mira Costa HS) had 28 digs and junior setter Kiah Fiers (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif./Peninsula HS) had 39 assists and 11 digs.
The Waves got off to a great start in the first set by scoring the first three points, thanks to a USD service error and kills by Lumsden and Rubenstein. The lead grew to 7-2 after back-to-back San Diego attack errors. The Toreros would close within one point at 10-9, but Pepperdine would score the next three points on a service error and two Lumsden kills. USD couldn’t close the gap at any other point in the first set and the Waves ended it with kills by freshman outside hitter Lilla Frederick (Huntington Beach, Calif./Cornelia Connelly HS) and Hill.
Pepperdine also got off to an excellent start in the second set, as a block by Lumsden and senior middle blocker Cassi Chamberlain (Lakewood, Calif./Lakewood HS) made it 5-1. Although the lead didn’t last, the set stayed close until it was 18-18. The Toreros then scored five straight points and went on to even up the match at a set apiece.
The third set was about as close as it could possibly be, as neither team took more than a two-point lead until the set-winning point. Pepperdine had a 21-19 lead after a kill by Fiers and a USD attack error. The Toreros came right back, however, scoring four straight points and then went on to claim the third set.
Pepperdine started strongly again in the fourth set. A Lumsden kill capped off a 4-0 run to give the Waves a 13-6 lead. The Toreros came back again, pulling within one point at 16-15 and 17-16. The Waves then scored five of the next six points, as Rubenstein and Hill each had a kill and a block assist. Up 22-19, Pepperdine clinched the fourth set with kills by Lumsden and Frederick and a USD attack error.
Pepperdine led the fifth set 11-10 after a USD service error, but three straight Torero kills gave the home team a 13-11 lead. After a Lumsden kill, San Diego ended the match on back-to-back blocks.
The Toreros had a slight edge in hitting, .193 to .182. Pepperdine had a 7-2 advantage in service aces, USD had a 12-10 blocking advantage and both teams had 86 digs.
The Waves played a five-set match for the second contest in a row and the fifth time this season.
San Diego got match highs of 20 kills from Amy DeGroot and 35 digs from Andrea Csaszi.
Pepperdine is ranked #13 by Molten/Volleyball Magazine and #15 by the AVCA.
The Waves conclude the first half of the WCC campaign at San Francisco this Saturday (Oct. 25) at 1 p.m. The Dons are in first place and unbeaten in the WCC at 6-0.
