Pepperdine University
South Carolina
#3 Pepperdine Splits in Dual Play at Palmetto Invitational
3/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Beach Volleyball
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- The Pepperdine sand volleyball team opened action at the Palmetto Invitational with duals vs. FIU and South Carolina, followed by the opening rounds of the pairs championship. The Waves fell to the Panthers, 3-2, before bouncing back with a 5-0 win over the hosting Gamecocks.
Pepperdine, ranked #3, opened the day with an 8:30 a.m. (local time) match vs. #6-ranked FIU. Playing in temperatures in the low 40s, the Waves picked up wins at No. 3 and No. 4, but fell short in the remaining three contests.
Emily Cook (Huntington Beach, Calif./Murrieta Valley HS) and Delaney Knudsen (Valencia, Calif./Valencia HS) provided a bright spot for Pepperdine, shutting out Marina Boulanger and Anna Budinska, 21-17, 21-14.
Sophie Asprey (Southlake, Texas/Liberty Christian/Tulane) and Taylor Racich (Santa Barbara, Calif./Dos Pueblos HS) were also victories, charting a 21-17, 21-15 over Darija Sataric and Savannah Davis.
FIU won in straight sets at No. 1, No. 2 and No. 5 to take the dual.
As temperatures warmed up to the 50s, so did the Waves, who rebounded with a solid 5-0 win over South Carolina. All five Pepperdine pairs won in straight sets.
The opening rounds of the pairs championship followed, with the No. 1-3 teams battling in the Gold Bracket, and the No. 4-6 teams squaring off in the Silver Bracket.
Kellie Woolever (Long Beach, Calif./Woodrow Wilson HS) and Kelley Larsen (Jamul, Calif./Christian HS) advanced in the Gold Bracket, defeating Marina Boulanger and Anna Budinska, 21-13, 21-18.
Becca Strehlow (Long Beach, Calif./Woodrow Wilson HS/UCLA) and Lara Dykstra (Redondo Beach, Calif./Redondo Union HS/Nebraska) topped Paige Wheeler and Megan Kent in straight sets as well. Pepperdine's two top teams will face one another in the semifinals on Sunday.
In the Silver Bracket, Katie Messing (The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands HS) and Corinne Quiggle (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla./Ponte Vedra HS) advanced to the semifinal round with a 21-18, 21-19 win over Koko Atoa-Williams and Allie Monzerez of South Carolina.
Racich and Asprey topped FIU's Natalia Giron and Anabela Sataric 21-7, 21-12 and will play Messing and Quiggle on Sunday in the next round.
The conclusion of the pairs championship will play out on Sunday, March 29, starting at 9 a.m. (ET)
Dual | #6 FIU 3, #3 Pepperdine 2
March 28, 2015 | Columbia, S.C.
No. 1 Maryna Samoday/Anja Licka (FIU) def. Kelley Larsen/Kellie Woolever (PEP) 21-19, 21-18
No. 2 Kristine Monforte/Summer Nash (FIU) def. Lara Dykstra/Becca Strehlow (PEP) 21-19, 21-19
No. 3 Emily Cook/Delaney Knudsen (PEP) def. Marina Boulanger/Anna Budinska (FIU) 21-17, 21-14
No. 4 Sophie Asprey/Taylor Racich (PEP) def. Darija Sataric/Savannah Davis (FIU) 21-17, 21-15
No. 5 Aren Cupp/Tina Toghiyani (FIU) def. Katie Messing/Corinne Quiggle (PEP) 21-19, 21-16
Extra
No. 6 Martyna Gluchowicz/Natalia Giron (FIU) def. Samantha Cash/Leanna Schroeder (PEP) 21-15, 21-18
Dual | #3 Pepperdine 5, South Carolina 0
March 28, 2015 | Columbia, S.C.
No. 1 Kelley Larsen/Kellie Woolever (PEP) def. Maddie Frome/Julia Mannisto (SC) 21-17, 21-13
No. 2 Lara Dykstra/Becca Strehlow (PEP) def. Paige Wheeler/Megan Kent (SC) 21-13, 21-18
No. 3 Emily Cook/Delaney Knudsen (PEP) def. Sarah Blomgren/Jade Vitt (SC) 21-12, 21-13
No. 4 Sophie Asprey/Taylor Racich (PEP) def. Jade Hayes/Macie Tendrich (SC) 22-20, 21-16
No. 5 Katie Messing/Corinne Quiggle (PEP) def. KoKo Atoa-Williams/Allie Monserez (SC) 21-16, 21-17
Extra
No. 6 Erin Neuenfeldt/Litsa Darby (PEP) def. Samantha Cash/Leanna Schroeder (PEP) 17-21, 21-19, 17-15
Pairs | Palmetto Invitational
March 28-29, 2015 | Columbia, S.C.
Gold Bracket
Maryna Samoday/Anja Licka (FIU) def. Emily Cook/Delaney Knudsen (PEP) 16-21, 21-10, 15-9
Lara Dykstra/Becca Strehlow (PEP) def. Paige Wheeler/Megan Kent (SC) 21-12, 21-18
Kelley Larsen/Kellie Woolever (PEP) def. Marina Boulanger/Anna Budinska (FIU) 21-13, 21-18
Gold Bracket Consolation
Emily Cook/Delaney Knudsen (PEP) def. Sarah Blomgren/Jade Vitt (SC) 21-11
Silver Bracket
Katie Messing/Corinne Quiggle (PEP) def. KoKo Atoa-Williams/Allie Monserez (SC) 21-18, 21-19
Taylor Racich/Sophie Asprey (PEP) def. Natalia Giron/Anabela Sataric (FIU) 21-7, 21-12
Darija Sataric/Martyna Gluchowicz (FIU) def. Samantha Cash/Leanna Schroeder (PEP) 13-21, 24-22, 15-10
