Pepperdine University
North Carolina Central
Pepperdine Shuts Out NCCU
9/19/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Box Score: Pepperdine 3, NCCU 0 
TEMPE, Ariz. - The Pepperdine women's volleyball team opened the Residence Inn Invitational with a 3-0 shutout over North Carolina Central. The Waves were led by sophomore Jillian Bergeson, who posted her sixth double-double of the season with 11 kills and 10 digs.
The Waves improve to 5-5 following the 25-20, 25-18, 25-14 triumph. Meanwhile, the Eagles are still in search of the year's first victory.
Bergeson (Friendswood, Texas/Friendswood HS) led all hitters with her 11 kills. Gaby Palmeri (Davis, Calif./St. Francis HS) issued nine kills and a team-high four blocks. Samantha Cash (San Diego, Calif./Canyon Crest Academy) matched Palmeri's nine kills.
Overall, Pepperdine out-killed NCCU 41-21 and limited the opponent to just a .055 (21 kills-16 errors-91 attempts) hitting percentage. The Waves swung at a .236 (41-15-110) success rate to control the tempo.
The Waves and Eagles exchanged the lead a handful of times before an ace by Bergeson sparked a 5-2 run in the opening set. Although North Carolina Central narrowed the deficit to one, 20-19, Emma Fuzie (Carmel, Calif./Carmel HS) threw the roof on an Eagle attack to thwart the comeback effort. Kelli Gerrans (Los Gatos, Calif./Archbishop Mitty HS) subbed in at set point and promptly issued an ace to secure the frame 25-20.
Bergeson charted seven kills in the set while hitting .400 (7-1-15). Palmeri was equally as impressive, with five kills and five digs.
Pepperdine found some separation in set two, stringing together a 6-1 run to take a 14-9 lead. Gerrans was once again subbed in late, and once again landed the Waves an ace. A final kill courtesy of Cash put point No. 25 on the board.
Becca Strehlow (Long Beach, Calif./Woodrow Wilson HS) dished three kills and six assists to lead her team.
The Waves could not be touched in the third stanza, and sprinted out to an 11-point advantage at 18-7. Cash took over and charted five kills to lift Pepperdine to the lopsided 25-14 victory.
Strehlow ended the match with 20 assists and 10 digs. Chanel Brown (Tempe, Ariz./Valley Christian HS/Arizona) dished out 17 assists in front of her hometown crowd.
Pepperdine continues action at the Residence Inn Invitational on Saturday with a pair of matches against top-25 talent. The Waves square off against #8-ranked Colorado State at 10 a.m. before at 7 p.m. tilt versus #18 Arizona State.
