Pepperdine University
Grand Canyon
#1 Waves Sweep Grand Canyon
2/25/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Volleyball
Pepperdine-Grand Canyon Box Score 
MALIBU, Calif. -- The Pepperdine men's volleyball team's first match as the #1-ranked team was a good one, as the Waves defeated visiting Grand Canyon, 30-15, 30-20, 30-21, in non-conference play on Wednesday night.
Pepperdine improved to 8-4 overall and won its seventh consecutive match. Grand Canyon, which is in its second year at the Division II level, dropped to 5-11.
Sophomore middle blocker Matt Pollock (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg HS) made his first start of the season and put down a career-high 13 kills on 18 errorless swings for a .722 hitting percentage. He also had a match-high six block assists.
Junior setter Kasey Crider (Granite Bay, Calif./Granite Bay HS) helped Pepperdine to a .471 team hitting percentage with 41 assists.
Senior outside hitter J.D. Schleppenbach (Ventura, Calif./Ventura HS) and freshman opposite Maurice Torres (Riverside, Calif./Orange Lutheran HS) each had nine kills. Senior libero Sean Grubbs (Newport Beach, Calif./Irvine Valley CC) recorded 12 digs.
Grand Canyon, which hit .086 as a team, was led by Brock Hutchins' match-high 15 kills and libero Trent Bruns' match-high 13 digs.
Pepperdine hit .560 as a team in the first game, with Torres collecting four kills on four swings. Pollock had a kill and a block assist during a 5-0 run that made the score 9-3. He also later had two kills and a block assist during another 5-0 run that upped Pepperdine's lead to 23-10. The game eventually ended on a kill by senior outside hitter Brent Schirripa (Los Angeles, Calif./Crespi Carmelite HS) and an Antelope attack error.
It took a while for the Waves to separate themselves from the Antelopes in the second game. But tied 16-16, Pepperdine went on an 11-2 run to pull ahead 27-18. Pollock had two kills and a block assist during the spurt, while Schleppenbach added two kills. The game would end after a kill by Pollock and a Grand Canyon attack error. Pepperdine's hitting dropped to .345 in the second game, but the Waves held the Antelopes to a negative-.067 (eight kills and 10 errors).
The Waves took an early 5-3 lead after back-to-back kills by Schirripa and led the rest of the third game. Pepperdine's lead steadily grew, including at 13-8 and 19-11. Pepperdine hit .516 in the third and held Grand Canyon to .162 hitting.
The Waves conclude a four-match homestand on Friday (Feb. 26) against #5 Cal State Northridge at 7 p.m. Wave Casts subscribers can watch the match online at www.pepperdinesports.com.
