Final Stats

MORAGA, Calif. -- The Pepperdine women's volleyball squad were downed by Saint Mary's on the road this Saturday afternoon, falling 22-25, 25-23, 15-25 and 18-25 in the McKeon Pavilion. Sophomores Heidi Dyer and Jenna Tunnell each posted double-doubles throughout the match, Dyer's career seventh and Tunnell's first.

The Waves (7-9, 1-3 WCC) posted 43 kills with 23 errors on 160 attempts for a .125 attack output, while Saint Mary's (8-8, 3-2 WCC) was good for a .140 success rate after 52 kills and 27 errors on 178 total swings. Pepperdine once again dominated the net en route to 8.0 team blocks, but the Gaels put down nine aces an 5.0 team blocks of the team's own to secure the four-set victory.

Dyer's (San Clemente, Calif./Saddleback Valley Christian HS) sixth double-double came after 19 assists and 11 digs, and the sophomore also led the Waves with a 9-2-35 attack performance for a .200 hitting percentage. Tunnell (Phoenix, Ariz./Desert Vista HS) posted her first double-double on top of career-bests 14 assists and 15 digs after coming in late in the first set and playing the duration of the match. She also added eight kills with no errors on 18 swings for an impressive career-high .444 hitting percentage.

Middle blockers sophomore Tarah Wylie (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral HS) and freshman Jasmine Gross (Portland, Ore./Jesuit HS) each were key for the Waves. Wylie led the team with five blocks and added three kills and an ace. Gross was good for a .438 hitting percentage after eight kills with only one error in 16 swings and added three blocks and three digs.

Sophomore Nikki Lyons (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas HS) posted six kills with 10 digs and a block, while freshman Hannah Frohling (Edmond, Okla./Edmond North HS) tallied seven kills, three digs and a block.

The Waves' back row stood tall as well, with freshman Hana Lishman (Kailua, Hawai'i/Punahou School) posting 17 digs and three assists and junior Ashley Morgan (Anaheim Hills, Calif./Canyon HS) putting up 14 digs and an ace.

The match started out close for both sides, with strong services from Lyons and Wylie, influenced with back-to-back kills from Dyer put the Waves ahead 10-6. The Gaels then produced a 8-4 run to tie the match at 14-14. After a quick point-for-point option, the home team buckled down and went ahead 22-17 with strong offensive output. Pepperdine attempted to close the gap by putting up three quick points, but SMC then closed the door to post the 25-22 set one victory.

Wylie led the Waves to start the second set as she put up an ace and the team produced a Gross, Dyer block and four consecutive forced errors to go up 7-1 early. The Waves continued to have the edge throughout the set, amassing a 17-10 advantage before Saint Mary's would call a strategic timeout. Shortly after, eight services from the Gael's Emily Bible, including two aces and two timeouts by Pepperdine, SMC had tied the score 22-22. The Waves refused to lose the set, however, as the team closed out the set with back-to-back kills from Wylie and Frohling to even the match 1-1 with the 25-23 win.

The Gael's gained an early advantage in the third set and held on, not letting Pepperdine close the gap throughout. The home team posted 12-6 and 19-9 advantages before winning the set 25-15 to go ahead in the match once again.

The Waves put up a tremendous fight in the fourth set, exchanging leads and possessions with SMC through the match. The teams were tied 14-14 late in the set, and that's when the home team started to pull ahead. Some heavy kills late put the Gaels up by five, 21-16, and it was a lead the Waves would be unable to overcome as Saint Mary's eventually posted a 25-18 set win to compete the four-set victory.

Next, Pepperdine will return to Malibu to host Gonzaga at 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 6. The match will be the Waves' "Dig Pink" day, featuring an assortment of pink gear to support breast cancer awareness. Find live stats and stream here: http://gowav.es/2bT5hVh. Follow the Waves on Facebook and Twitter @WavesVolleyball for immediate updates, recaps and more.