TEMPE, Ariz. – The #5 Pepperdine beach volleyball team opened the Arizona State Invitational with a 3-2 win over #6 Hawai'i at the PERA Club on Friday afternoon, but #2 USC gained the edge in the second match of the day resulting in a 3-2 loss to end day one of competition.
 
The Waves (13-6) will take on unranked tournament host ASU at 12 p.m. on Saturday to end the tournament.
 
RESULTS
#5 PEPPERDINE 3, #6 HAWAI'I 2
MARCH 22 | PERA COURTS | TEMPE, ARIZ.
1: Emily Maglio/Amy Ozee (UH) def. Heidi Dyer/Brook Bauer (PEPP) – 21-16, 16-21, 15-13
2: Deahna Kraft/Gigi Hernandez (PEPP) def. Julia Scoles/Ari Homayun (UH) – 23-21, 21-15
3: Morgan Martin/Pani Napoleon (UH) def. Alexis Flippone/Skylar Caputo (PEPP) – 22-20, 21-17
4: Nikki Lyons/Maddie Dilfer (PEPP) def. Hi'Lawe Huddleston/Kylin Loker (UH) – 27-25, 21-16
5: Simone Priebe/Katie Gavin (PEPP) def. Paige Dreeuws/Sofia Russo (UH) – 21-18, 17-21, 15-10
6 (EXH): Melanie Paul/Jenna Tunnell (PEPP) def. Ashley Stevens/Regan Hurkett (UH) – 21-15, 21-16
Order of finish: 4, 5, 1, 3, 2*
 
#5 PEPPERDINE 2, #2 USC 3
MARCH 22 | PERA COURTS | TEMPE, ARIZ.
1: Tina Graudina/Abril Bustamante (USC) def. Heidi Dyer/Brook Bauer (PEPP) – 22-20, 21-17
2: Deahna Kraft/Gigi Hernandez (PEPP) def. Sammy Slater/Terese Cannon (USC) – 22-20, 21-15
3: Alexandra Poletto/Haley Hallgren (USC) de. Alexis Flippone/Skylar Caputo (PEPP) – 21-19, 20-22, 15-10
4: Nikki Lyons/Maddie Dilfer (PEPP) def. Joy Dennis/Cammie Dorn (USC) – 20-22, 25-23, 15-13
5: Mollie Ebertin/Maja Kaiser (USC) def. Simone Priebe/Kate Gavin (PEPP) – 22-24, 21-19, 15-10
6 EXH: Melanie Paul/Jenna Tunnell (PEPP) def. Josannah Vasquez/Karina Myszkowski (USC) – 21-9, 21-14
Order of finish: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1*
 
MATCH RECAP
From start to finish, the Waves had a pair of battles to open the ASU Invitational, first facing #6 Hawai'i before battling #2 USC for the first time this season.
 
Against Hawai'i, the Waves opened the first flight with a pair of wins on courts four and five.  Nikki Lyons and Maddie Dilfer finished first with a 27-25, 21-16 win over Hi'Lawe Huddleston and Kylin Loker on court four.  Then on five, Simone Priebe and Katie Gavin downed Paige Dreeuws and Sofia Russo with a 15-10 third set win after splitting the first two sets 21-18, 17-21. 
 
In the second flight, the Rainbow Wahine answered with a two-set win on three, followed by a three-set win on court one to even the score.  On the final court to finish, Deahna Kraft and Gigi Hernandez were up to the task for their team.  The pair downed Julia Scoles and Ari Homayun with a 23-21, 21-15 final mark to seal the Waves win.
 
In the second match of the day, Pepperdine faced off with USC for the first time this year.  The Waves fell on court five in a three-set brawl, before evening the score with a 20-22, 25-23, 15-13 win from Lyons and Dilfer on four over Joy Dennis and Cammie Dorn to tie things up.
 
Then, the Waves were felled in three on court three, before tying the score once again after Kraft and Hernandez took care of Sammy Slater and Terese Cannon 22-20, 21-15.
 
With all eyes on the top court, Dyer and Bauer went head-to-head with Tina Graudina and Abril Bustamante, eventually falling 22-20 and 21-17, resulting in a loss to close the day.
 
NEXT UP
Tomorrow, the Waves end the ASU Invitational with a dual against tournament host Arizona State at 12 p.m.
 
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