Pepperdine University
Saskatchewan
Waves Continue Can Am Challenge with Second Straight-Set Sweep
1/3/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Volleyball
Box ScoreHighlights
MALIBU, Calif. — The winning Waves continued with a second consecutive straight-set sweep over the Huskies of Saskatchewan this Sunday afternoon at Firestone Fieldhouse. The Pepperdine men's volleyball team started the second installment of the Can Am Challenge with a close comeback 28-26 set win, and continued to close the door with 25-23 and 25-17 set wins to ensure the sweep.
The Waves offensive was impressive yet again today, with a commanding .523 hitting percentage after pounding down 54 kills with only nine errors in 86 attempts. The team also collected 10 block assists, 22 digs and 51 successful serve receptions.
Sophomore Colby Harriman (Rochester, N.Y./McQuaid Jesuit HS) led the Waves with a career-high 14 kills and a .462 percentage (2 errors-26 attempts) on the attack. He also helped the Waves with 14 serve receptions and one ace all day.
Sophomore David Wieczorek (Chicago, Ill./Loyola Academy) and freshman Michael Wexter (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West HS) were next on the attack after plastering 10 kills apiece down on the Huskies.
Wieczorek earned a .500 hitting percentage (1 error-18 attempts), while adding an ace, four digs, two blocks and two assists. He also garnered a .952 serve reception percentage after keeping up a team-high 20 attempts. Wexter finished the day with a .533 hitting percentage (2 errors-15 attempts), along with two assists and two digs.
Juniors Joshua Stewart (San Jose, Calif./Ballarmine College Preparatory/Pacific) and Mitchell Penning (St. Louis, Mo./Westminster Christian Academy) were also key to Pepperdine's success. Stewart led the team with 43 assists, while adding five digs and two block assists, and Penning led the team with three block assists, while smashing down seven kills.
Seniors Matt Tarantino (Van Nuys, Calif./Bishop Alemany HS) and Tommy Carmody (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg HS/Pacific) each finished with six kills apiece, while Tarantino tabbed a .625 hitting percentage (1 error-8 attempts) and Carmody posted a perfect 1.000 percentage on the attack with a perfect 6-for-6 outing. Sophomore transfer Weston Barnes (Laguna Beach, Calif./Laguna Beach HS/George Mason) led Pepperdine with seven digs.
The Waves came out strong in the first set again today, amassing a 7-3 lead before allowing the Huskies to return to the match. The opposition evened the score, 15-15, with a service ace late in the set, and then took a 20-19 lead on a Pepperdine service error. The Waves kept battling and with a 21-24 deficit, looked to make the comeback. A Tarantino kill, a Saskatchewan service error and three strong services by Wieczorek led the Waves to a 24-24 score with both teams wanting the first set win. The Waves kept the lead, with the Huskies evening things up to 26-26, before Harriman and Penning put up back-to-back kills to close the opposition out with a 28-26 decision.
With the 1-0 lead heading into the second set, the Waves entered play intent on distributing a gap to the Huskies and did just that, with a 5-2 lead. The Waves kept the lead and despite the Huskies attempts to make it a close set, maintained it. With a 21-17 score heading into the final stretch, Wieczorek picked up his first and only ace of the day and the Waves continued to close the door, ending on another Penning smash.
Looking towards another straight-set win with a 2-0 lead heading into set three, the Waves continued to play hard. Saskatchewan answered with just as much energy, and the score was tied 9-9 before Pepperdine picked up. With a 20-14 lead after a block assist by Wexter and Penning, the Waves were unrelenting and closed out the final set, 25-17, on a big Wieczorek kill.
Pepperdine has a full week on the docket, continuing the Can Am Challenge with two more exhibition matches against British Columbia on Wednesday (January 6) and Friday (January) 8 at 3 p.m. in Firestone Fieldhouse. The Waves will then open official regular season on Sunday (January 10) at 5 p.m. against Concordia (California). Live stats, live stream and game notes can all be found by following this link: http://gowav.es/mvb2014.
