April 6, 2013

MALIBU, Calif. - The #1 Pepperdine women's sand volleyball team couldn't be touched today at Zuma Beach, shutting out both #4 USC and #5 Hawaii in dual play. In pairs action, the Waves won five of their six individual matches including Victoria Adelhelm and Taylor Racich's straight-set win over the Rainbow Wahine's No. 1 duo.

The Waves, undefeated in 2013 at 12-0, first handed the Trojans a 5-0 loss. Kelley Larsen (Jamul, Calif./Christian HS) and Kellie Woolever (Long Beach, Calif./Woodrow Wilson HS) posted the most convincing win of the morning, downing Eve Ettinger and Bria Russ 21-6, 21-19

Racich (Santa Barbara, Calif./Dos Pueblos HS) and Adelhelm (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif./Santa Fe Christian) were also en point with a 21-12, 21-15 win against Brooke Fournier and Alexa Stonish.

The Waves' No. 2 duo comprised of Caitlin Racich (Santa Barbara, Calif./Dos Pueblos HS) Lara Dykstra (Redondo Beach, Calif./Redondo Union HS/Nebraska), as well as No. 5 pair Emily Cook (Huntington Beach, Calif./Murrieta Valley HS) and Katie Messing (The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodland HS), both won in straight sets.

In the marquee match, Lilla Frederick (Huntington Beach, Calif./Cornelia Connelly HS) and Kim Hill (Portland, Ore./Portland Christian HS) went up against former teammate Stevi Robinson and her new partner Kirby Burnham. Robinson graduated from Pepperdine in 2012 and is now a graduate student at USC.

In the opening frame the Waves were up late, 17-15, when Robinson took over, pounding down three straight kills to make it 18-17. She added two more and Women of Troy went on to win the first set 21-19. USC then jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the second set, though the Waves eventually caught up and went ahead 13-12 with a 3-0 run. Tied 15-15, back-to-back kills by Frederick and a block by Hill made it 18-15 and the Waves evened the match with a 21-17 victory. USC again took an early lead in set three, going ahead 4-1. The Waves came back and took their largest lead at 12-9, but USC scored four of the next five points to make it 13-13. Hill took over and posted a kill and a block in succession to clinch the match 15-13.

USC rebounded from the loss with a 3-2 win against Hawaii.

In the final dual of the day, the Waves blanked the Rainbow Wahine 5-0. All five pairs won in straight sets, including a 21-9, 21-11 decision on court two courtesy of Dykstra and Caitlin Racich.

Two rounds of pairs play followed. Adelhelm and Taylor Racich highlighted that portion of the afternoon with a solid 21-13, 21-11 triumph over Jane Croson and Ashley Kastl. Croson and Kastl played in the top spot of the lineup vs. USC earlier in the day, and played at No. 2 in the dual vs. the Waves. With the win, Adelhelm and Racich - The Waves' No. 4 tandem -- improved to a perfect 8-0 on the season.

Adelhelm averaged 2.67 blocks/set across the three matches, includes eight roofs in the dual match vs. Hawaii.

Team Kell(i)ey won their final match of the day to stay undefeated as a pair at 15-0. Frederick and Hill upped their season record to 17-0 with their 21-10, 21-18 win against Katie Fuller and Cinnamon Sary.

Pepperdine's No. 2 and No. 5 duos also won in pairs play. Their only loss the entire day came at the Pepperdine No. 6 vs. Hawaii No. 5 matchup.

The Waves host one final event at Zuma Beach next week Wednesday, April 10 against #2 Long Beach State and #6 UCLA.

Dual | #1 Pepperdine 5, #4 USC 0
April 6, 2013 | Malibu, Calif.
No. 1 Lilla Frederick/Kim Hill (PEP) def. Kirby Burnham/Stevi Robinson (USC) 19-21, 21-17, 15-13
No. 2 Lara Dykstra/Caitlin Racich (PEP) def. Katie Fuller/Cinnamon Sary (USC) 21-12, 21-18
No. 3 Kelley Larsen/Kellie Woolever (PEP) def. Eve Ettinger/Bria Russ (USC) 21-6, 21-19
No. 4 Victoria Adelhelm/Taylor Racich (PEP) def. Brooke Fournier/Alexa Stonish (USC) 21-12, 21-15
No. 5 Emily Cook/Katie Messing (PEP) def. Sam Hirschmann/Natasha Siljkovic (USC) 21-18, 21-15

Dual | #4 USC 3, #5 Hawaii 2
April 6, 2013 | Malibu, Calif.
No. 1 Kirby Burnham/Stevi Robinson (USC) def. Jane Croson/Ashley Kastl (UH) 21-13, 21-11
No. 2 Natasha Bell/Tai Manu-Olevao (UH) def. Katie Fuller/Cinnamon Sary (USC) 22-20, 20-22, 15-10
No. 3 Eve Ettinger/Bria Russ (USC) def. Ali Longo/Karlee Riggs (UH) 21-12, 21-15
No. 4 Katie Spieler/Ginger Long (UH) def. Sam Hirschmann/Natasha Siljkovic (USC) 22-20, 21-16
No. 4 Brooke Fournier/Alexa Stonish (USC) def. Ku`ulei Zalopany/Olivia Urban (UH) 21-19, 21-11

Dual | #1 Pepperdine 5, #5 Hawaii 0
April 6, 2013 | Malibu, Calif.
No. 1 Lilla Frederick/Kim Hill (PEP) def. Natasha Bell/Tai Manu-Olevao (UH) 21-13, 21-16
No. 2 Lara Dykstra/Caitlin Racich (PEP) def. Jane Croson/Ashley Kastl (UH) 21-9, 21-11
No. 3 Kelley Larsen/Kellie Woolever (PEP) def. Katie Spieler/Ginger Long (UH) 21-13, 21-17
No. 4 Victoria Adelhelm/Taylor Racich (PEP) def. Ali Longo/Karlee Riggs (UH) 21-13, 21-18
No. 5 Emily Cook/Katie Messing (PEP) def. Ku`ulei Zalopany/Olivia Urban (UH) 21-14, 21-14

Pairs | April 6, 2013 | Malibu, Calif.
Kelley Larsen/Kellie Woolever (PEP) def. Sam Hirschmann/Natasha Siljkovic (USC) 21-15, 21-17
Victoria Adelhelm/Taylor Racich (PEP) def. Jane Croson/Ashley Kastl (UH) 21-14, 21-17
Emily Cook/Katie Messing (PEP) def. Eve Ettinger/Bria Russ (USC) 21-17, 21-14
Ali Longo/Karlee Riggs (UH) def. Brooke Fournier/Alexa Stonish (USC) 17-21, 22-20, 15-11
Ku`ulei Zalopany/Olivia Urban (UH) def. Jazmine Orozco/Lauren Sieckmann (PEP) 21-13, 16-21, 15-12
Lilla Frederick/Kim Hill (PEP) def. Katie Fuller/Cinnamon Sary (USC) 21-10, 21-18
Kirby Burnham/Stevi Robinson (USC) def. Natasha Bell/Tai Manu-Olevao (UH) 21-16, 22-20
Lara Dykstra/Caitlin Racich (PEP) def. Katie Spieler/Ginger Long (UH) 21-15, 21-18