Final Stats

Highlights

MALIBU, Calif. — Despite falling in the first set, the Pepperdine women's volleyball team battled back to win 3-1 in comeback fashion over the Dons of San Francisco (15-6, 2-6 WCC) this Saturday at Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, Calif. The Waves fell 25-22 to start the day, but buckled down and rallied back with 25-19, 25-23 and a commanding 25-11 set wins to earn the West Coast Conference victory and give all the visiting alumni quite a show. Pepperdine is now 13-8 overall and 4-4 within WCC action.

Freshmen outside hitters Nikki Lyons (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas HS) and Heidi Dyer (San Clemente, Calif./Saddleback Valley Christian HS) commanded the attack with 17 and 15 kills apiece. Lyons posted only six errors in 39 attempts for a .282 hitting percentage, along with two block assists, six digs and one service ace. Dyer was good for a productive .333 success rate on the attack after posting two errors in 39 attempts. She also tabbed five block assists, 24 serve receptions and one ace on the day.

Senior setter Becca Strehlow (Long Beach, Calif./Woodrow Wilson HS/UCLA) was more than effective for the Waves, as usual, adding five kills, a .364 hitting percentage (1 error-11 attempts), 41 assists, five block assists, 18 digs and one ace. Senior libero Lara Dykstra (Redondo Beach, Calif./Redondo Union HS/Nebraska) worked for her first double-double of the 2015 campaign after tallying 15 digs and 11 assists, while also putting up one ace.

Freshman middle blocker Tarah Wylie (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral HS) and junior outside hitter Gaby Palmeri (Davis, Calif./St. Francis HS) also helped the effort with eight and seven kills respectively. Wylie also led the team with seven blocks and three big service aces.

Junior middle blocker Brooke Honeycutt (Phoenix, Ariz./Desert Vista HS) was instrumental on the defensive side with six block assists and freshman opposite Jenna Tunnell (Phoenix, Ariz./Desert Vista HS) was also impacting with five kills and no errors in seven attempts for an impressive .714 hitting percentage, while also posting three blocks.

San Francisco went on an early run in the first set, amassing a 6-2 lead over Pepperdine. The Waves stayed in the match throughout, playing tough and working hard, but unable to overcome or surpass the Dons. The home team tied the set up 18-18 late on, but another breakaway by the opposition sealed the deal and put San Francisco up 1-0 on the day with a 25-22 decision.

Both teams came out hard in the second set, working towards a 5-5 tie early. Each team traded points and leads, eventually seeing a tied 10-10 on the scoreboard, then a 16-16 score, before the Waves buckled down and started pulling away. With Lyons at the service line, Pepperdine went on a five-point run to go up 21-17 over San Francisco, and continued success to eventually even the match with a 25-19 set win.

The Waves were fired up to start the third set, tallying a 5-0 lead to put the Dons back on heels. San Francisco would not roll over easily, however, picking up a few rallies to put the score tied at 13-13. Despite the Dons going ahead 19-16 late in the set, Pepperdine rallied back, tying the set 20-20, and then working for the 25-23 set win.

The fourth set was all business for the Waves, as the team worked for a quick 11-3 lead to bury the Dons quickly. Pepperdine refused to let up as well, piling on kills and lengthening the gap to 21-9. The home team closed out the fourth set by a commanding 25-11 advantage, ending the day 3-1 for the WCC victory.

Pepperdine will get back in action next Thursday (October 22) at 7 p.m. as the Waves challenge BYU at Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, Calif. Watch live and follow live stats by clicking this link: http://gowav.es/WVB2013.

The match will honor breast cancer awareness with a pink-theme. Pepperdine Colleges Against Cancer (PCAC) will be attendance and have a table set up in the lobby selling pink shirts, collecting donations and giving out pink cookies and pink lemonade for fans. During the match, there will be Pepperdine Pink aluminum water bottles and other giveaways available to a few lucky fans.