Pepperdine University
Long Beach State
Waves Falter in National Semifinals vs. Long Beach State
5/2/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Beach Volleyball
MALIBU, Calif. -- The fourth-seeded Pepperdine sand volleyball team was denied an appearance in their fourth-straight final at the AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball National Championship by seventh-seeded Long Beach State. The 49ers, upset queens at the tournament thus far, edged the Waves 3-2.
Pepperdine ends the team portion of the season with a 13-6 record. Long Beach State, with upset wins over Hawaii and FIU, will face top-seeded USC in the finals this afternoon.
"I am proud of how we fought," said head coach Nina Matthies to her team after the loss. "Be proud of what you've accomplished, this is a team effort and we need everybody. It's about everybody taking care of business, and I'm just proud of you guys. I know it's tough right now, but I'm so proud. For you seniors, you've left a great legacy."
The Waves opened the day in the elimination bracket, dispatching #3-ranked FIU, 4-1. The Waves were seeking a bit of redemption, after falling to the Panthers during the regular-season on a cold day in South Carolina.
Nothing was cold about Pepperdine's play vs. FIU today. The Waves won first sets on four of the five courts, and won three matches in straight sets.
Kellie Woolever (Long Beach, Calif./Woodrow Wilson HS) and Kelley Larsen (Jamul, Calif./Christian HS) were first off the court, taking down Maryna Samoday and Anja Licka 21-10, 21-17. Emily Cook (Huntington Beach, Calif./Murrieta Valley HS) and Delaney Knudsen (Valencia, Calif./Valencia HS) soon followed, dispatching Darija Sataric and Marina Boulanger in straight sets, 21-14, 21-9.
Although FIU got one back at No. 4, Becca Strehlow (Long Beach, Calif./Woodrow Wilson HS/UCLA) and Lara Dykstra (Redondo Beach, Calif./Redondo Union HS/Nebraska) lifted the Waves out of reach at 3-1 with a two-set victory at No. 2.
Samantha Cash (San Diego, Calif./Canyon Crest Academy) and Corinne Quiggle (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla./Ponte Vedra HS) rounded out the morning match with a win, outlasting Alex Johnson and Tina Toghiyani 21-17, 19-21, 15-11.
Pepperdine then was faced with the peaking 49ers in the semifinal. Long Beach State got off to a strong start, winning first sets on four of the five courts.
Cook and Knudsen continued their tear through the team championship, shutting out Jenelle Hudson and Bre Mackie for their fifth straight-set win of the weekend. The pair concludes their season together with a 21-4 overall record, including a 16-1 tally in dual matches.
The Beach scored a point at No. 4, while the three remaining matches all went to a third and decisive set.
Woolever and Larsen fell victim to Delainey Aigner-Swesey and Chelsea Cabrajac in the top match, 21-18, 13-21, 15-7.
Dykstra and Strehlow won a must-win set two vs. Anete Brinke and Tyler Jackson, 22-20, after falling in the first. The third set remained close from start to finish, but Long Beach State got a late break to win the match 15-13 and clinch the dual at 3-1.
Meanwhile on court five, Cash and Quiggle were deadlocked with Rachel Nieto and Sammee Thomas in the third. The Wave duo, who had not played a match together prior to the national championships, won the third set in extra points, 21-19.
Cash and Quiggle went 4-1 on the weekend, losing just one match in three sets to Hawaii.
Pepperdine's journey at the championships included wins over Georgia State (5-0), Hawaii (3-2) and FIU (4-1). The Waves suffered a painstakingly close 3-2 loss to USC, sending them to the elimination bracket.
Strehlow and Dykstra continued their afternoon with a play-in match for tomorrow's pairs championship. Larsen and Woolever have already received an automatic bid into the 16-pairs bracket, which starts tomorrow morning at 6 a.m. PT
Strehlow and Dykstra won their first set against LSU's Mandi Orellana and Katie Lindelow, 21-11. The Tigers got off to a hot 7-1 start in the second, but the Waves battled back and eventually knotted the score at 18-18. A Tiger player then went down with apparent leg cramps following a side out, after already taking a medical timeout, and was unable to continue.
Tomorrow's pairs championship is single elimination. Pairs advancing to the quarterfinal round will earn AVCA All-American status.
Dual | #4 Pepperdine 4, #3 FIU 1
May 2, 2015 | Gulf Shores, Ala. | AVCA National Championship Back Draw Semifinals
No. 1 Kelley Larsen/Kellie Woolever (PEP) def. Maryna Samoday/Anja Licka (FIU) 21-10, 21-17
No. 2 Lara Dykstra/Becca Strehlow (PEP) def. Summer Nash/Savannah Davis (FIU) 21-18, 21-16
No. 3 Emily Cook/Delaney Knudsen (PEP) def. Darija Sataric/Marina Boulanger (FIU) 21-14, 21-9
No. 4 Martyna Gluchowicz/Anna Budinska (FIU) def. Sophie Asprey/Taylor Racich(PEP) 21-16, 21-13
No. 5 Samantha Cash/Corinne Quiggle (PEP) def. Alex Johnson/Tina Toghiyani (FIU) 21-17, 19-21, 15-11
Dual | #4 Pepperdine, #6 Long Beach State
May 2, 2015 | Gulf Shores, Ala. | AVCA National Championship Back Draw Finals
No. 1 Delainey Aigner-Swesey/Chelsea Cabrajac(LBSU) def. Kellie Woolever/Kelley Larsen (PEP) 21-18, 13-21, 15-7
No. 2 Anete Brinke/Tyler Jackson (LBSU) def. Lara Dykstra/Becca Strehlow (PEP) 21-12, 20-22, 15-13
No. 3 Emily Cook/Delaney Knudsen (PEP) def. Jenelle Hudson/Bre Mackie (LBSU) 21-16, 21-17
No. 4 Andrea McHugh/Ciana Wagner (LBSU) def. Sophie Asprey/Leanna Schroeder (PEP) 21-15, 21-14
No. 5 Samantha Cash/Corinne Quiggle (PEP) def. Rachel Nieto/Sammee Thomas (LBSU) 17-21, 21-13, 21-19
Pairs | AVCA National Championship
Play-In Match
Lara Dykstra/Becca Strehlow (PEP) def. Mandi Orellana/Katie Lendelow (LSU) 21-11, 18-19, retired
