Nov. 8, 2014 Final Stats
Box Score: LMU 3, Pepperdine 0 
LOS ANGELES - The Pepperdine women's volleyball team suffered a three-set, 25-20, 25-18, 25-23, loss to crosstown rival Loyola Marymount on Saturday afternoon. Senior Katie Messing led the Waves with 10 kills, while fellow senior Samantha Cash added seven kills and a match-high five blocks.
LMU, now 20-5 overall and 8-5 in West Coast Conference matches, picked up a point in the Wells Fargo PCH Cup standings with the win. Pepperdine drops to 9-16 and 4-9 in the league. With two volleyball matches, one soccer match and the WCC Cross Country Championships in the books, the Lions lead the annual contest 6-1. Pepperdine has emerged as the PCH Cup winner, however, in all five seasons since its inception in 2009-10.
Messing (The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands HS) led the Waves in kills for the eighth match in a row with an even 10 today. Her career tally now sits at 1,018 which ranks tied for 16th on the program's all-time list.
Jillian Bergeson (Friendswood, Texas/Friendswood HS) followed Messing with nine kills. Cash (San Diego, Calif./Canyon Crest Academy) added 10.5 points behind seven kills, five blocks and an ace. Her season ace total of 34 ranks as the eighth most by any Wave in a single year (rally scoring era only). Five more would move the senior up into fourth place.
Freshman Allie Loitz (Bonita, Calif./Bonita Vista HS) paced the defense with 11 digs, while Becca Strehlow (Long Beach, Calif./Woodrow Wilson HS/UCLA) managed the offense with 31 assists.
Loyola Marymount out-dug Pepperdine 49-38, and minimized the hitting and service errors to hold the edge. Amber Mirabello was lights out for the Lions, cashing in on 10 kills off of 16 errorless swings. Overall the home squad out-hit the Waves .274 (44 kills-15 errors-106 attempts) to .207 (40-16-116).
After LMU controlled the tempo of the first two sets, Pepperdine began to rally back in the third. The Waves scored four unanswered points to take a 19-17 lead and remained out in front 23-20 following a Messing kill. The Lions tipped the scales back in their favor, siding out with a kill and following that up with a block. LMU delivered three more points in a row to take the set 25-23 and secure the sweep.
Pepperdine continues the road swing next week at San Francisco (Nov. 13) and Santa Clara (Nov. 15). The Waves then return home for their final three matches of the regular season, hosting Pacific (Nov. 20), Saint Mary's (Nov. 22) and San Diego (Nov. 25). Senior Day will be celebrated during the match against the Gaels.
