Pepperdine Downs Northeastern in Four-Set Home Opener

Thursday, August 31

Malibu, Calif.

7:00 PM

Pepperdine University

Northeastern

Pepperdine Downs Northeastern in Four-Set Home Opener

8/31/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball

Aug. 31, 2017

Final Stats | Photo Gallery

MALIBU, Calif. -- The Pepperdine women's volleyball team downed Northeastern in four sets in the home opener on Thursday night in Firestone Fieldhouse. With the help of four players in double-figure kill territory and Hannah Frohling and Blossom Sato double-doubles, the Waves bested the Huskies with 25-14, 24-26, 25-21 and 25-20 set scores to open the Pepperdine-CSUN Challenge.

Sato posted her second Pepperdine career double-double with 44 assists and a career-best 19 digs, while dishing out a .237 hitting percentage for the Waves. Frohling led the team for the third match this season with 17 kills and added 12 digs.

WAVES VS. HUSKIES

The Waves outperformed the Huskies in many categories, tabbing a .237 hitting percentage with 57 kills on 169 swings, while allowing the opposition a low .113 attack output with 47 kills on 177 attempts. Pepperdine and Northeastern each had three aces, but the Waves posted 12.5 team blocks to the Huskies 6.0 and 87 digs to 86 to produce the victory.

BIG PERFORMANCES

Hannah Frohling: 17 kills, 12 digs, 3 blocks, 1 ace
Blossom Sato: 44 assists, 19 digs, 3 blocks
Jasmine Gross: 12 kills, .370 hitting percentage, 5 blocks
Heidi Dyer: 11 kills, .281 hitting percentage, 5 digs, 4 blocks
Alli O'Harra: 10 kills, .364 hitting percentage, 6 blocks
Ashley Harris; 7 kills, 4 blocks
Lexi Barker: 22 digs, 1 ace
Hana Lishman: 17 digs, 5 assists, 22 serve receptions

PEPPERDINE ATTACK BY SET

Set K-E-TA (Pct)

1. 14-5-39 (.231)

2. 14-5-39 (.231)

3. 16-4-46 (.261)

4. 13-3-45 (.222)

NORTHEASTERN ATTACK BY SET

Set K-E-TA (Pct)

1. 6-9-35 (.-086)

2. 15-4-43 (.256)

3. 13-7-48 (.125)

4. 13-7-51 (.118)

PLAY-BY-PLAY

The Waves came out strong in the first set, amassing a .231 hitting percentage with 14 kills, while allowing only six kills on a 0.086 output by the opposition. Pepperdine went on an 11-4 run to start the match, fueled off a strong service output by Lishman. The Waves continued on the attack and added blocks from O'Harra, Harris, Gross and Sato to produce a 25-14 set win.

The Huskies came out strong off the break, posting a 9-4 run to gain an early lead. The Waves continued to work hard and tied the set at the 23-23 mark with a Dyer, O'Harra block connection. Northeastern kept the advantage, however, and tied the match with a 26-24 second set victory.

The third set was a back-and-forth battle for each side. The Waves rolled through the opening points en route to a 14-7 lead, but the opposition brought it back to a one-point deficit with Pepperdine up 18-17. The Waves held on to the lead, though and earned the set with back-to-back rejections by Frohling with either Sato or O'Harra. With a final kill by Frohling, the Waves won the set 25-21 to go up 2-1 on the night.

In the final set, Pepperdine came out swinging and with an ace from Frohling and big connections by O'Harra and Gross, the Waves went ahead 10-6 early. The Huskies brought the match to a one-point deficit at the 21-20 mark. Then, Lishman found the floor with an ace, Gross continued with a smash and Gross and Dyer closed up shop with a block collaboration for the 25-20 set win and 3-1 match victory.

NEXT UP

Next, the Waves trek to Northridge, Calif. to take on fellow Pepperdine-CSUN Challenge cohosts CSUN at 7 p.m. on Friday, September 1. Pepperdine will close out the weekend back at Firestone Fieldhouse on Saturday at noon with Weber State.

Follow the Waves on Facebook and Twitter, @WavesVolleyball, and follow the team on Instagram, @peppvolley. Get all the most recent schedules, results and more on www.PepperdineWaves.com.