Women's Volleyball to Host #12 BYU, Trek to #6 Baylor

MALIBU, Calif. — The Pepperdine women's volleyball team, a team receiving votes in the AVCA Coaches Poll, has a week filled with heavy competition first hosting West Coast Conference opponent #12 BYU in Malibu before trekking to Texas to challenge non-conference competitor #6 Baylor.

MATCH #7 — Tuesday (February 23) at Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, Calif.: Pepperdine vs. #12 BYU at 7 p.m. PT.

MATCH #8 — Wednesday (February 24) at Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, Calif.: Pepperdine vs. #12 BYU at 7 p.m. PT.

MATCH #9 — Sunday (February 28) at Ferrell Center in Waco, Texas: Pepperdine at Baylor at 4 p.m. PT.

WAVECASTS & ESPN+ — The matches can be watched online via WaveCasts with link available at PepperdineWaves.com. Veteran play-by-play man El Epstein, a 2015 Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame inductee who is now in his 36th season, will be behind the microphone. The road match at Baylor will also stream live on Big12 Now and ESPN+.

HOME ATTENDANCE — Per the current COVID-19 guidelines set by the state of California and Los Angeles County, fans will not be permitted to attend home games in Firestone Fieldhouse.

LIVE — Live stats will also be available for all matches with links available on PepperdineWaves.com.

SOCIAL MEDIA — Follow @WavesVolleyball on Twitter for updates and check out PepperdineWaves.com and Facebook (/WavesVolleyball) for releases and more information.

AVCA COACHES POLL: RECEIVING VOTES — For the second-straight week, the Waves have been receiving votes on the AVCA Coaches Poll with 21 points. Other WCC school in the mix are #12 BYU and #18 San Diego.

WEEKLY ACCOLADES APLENTY — After helping the Waves to a pair of WCC wins over Pacific at home last week, freshman middle blocker Meg Brown earned her first career weekly nod with a WCC Defensive Player of the Week accolade. Brown marked a career night in the opener and succeeded in multiple facets of the game throughout.

In nine sets over two matches, she posted 1.67 blocks/set, 0.22 digs/set, 2.44 kills/set and 0.11 assists/set for 3.4 points/set overall. She marked 22 kills with only five errors on 48 swings for a .354 success rate, while tabbing 15 total blocks including two solo rejections. She also was good for two digs and an assist and totaled 30.5 points overall. In the four-set win on Tuesday, Brown tallied a career-best 14 kills and eight blocks, including one solo. She marked a .435 clip with only four errors on 23 swings as well. In the five-set thriller on Wednesday, she was good for eight kills with one error on 44 swings for a .182 output, and picked up another impressive seven blocks with one solo. She also amassed two digs and one assist in the match that night.

Previously, Rachel Ahrens garnered a pair of Offensive Player of the Week nods on weeks one and two, while Madison Shields picked up a Defensive Player of the Week nod on week two.

LAST MATCHES — Last week, the Waves took down Pacific in a pair of WCC matches, first dropping the Tigers 3-1 before securing a five-set win the following night. In the first victory, Pepperdine picked up 51 kills on a .260 clip, while posting two aces, compared to the oppositions 49 kills on a .125 output with two aces. The Waves led the floor with 53 digs and 15.0 team blocks, as opposed to the Tigers 49 digs and 4.0 team blocks. Meg Brown led the Waves with a career-best performance, putting up 14 kills on a .435 hitting percentage and adding a career-high eight blocks including one solo. Shannon Scully recorded a double-double with 12 kills, 12 digs and five blocks, while Rachel Ahrens produced 11 kills. Madison Shields led the back row with 10 digs and Isabel Zelaya worked as primary playmaker with 42 assists.

In the second match, the Waves led the floor with 60 kills on a .216 output, while adding 10.5 blocks. The Tigers were good for 59 kills on a .129 percentage with 5.0 blocks. Ahrens, Scully and Emma Ammerman led the attack front with 19, 12 and 11 kills respectively. Brown also picked up seven blocks in the match, while Scully put up 19 digs. Shields, Kayla Joyce and Kayleigh Hames added 16, 12 and 11 digs in the match, while Zelaya was good for a season-high 50 assists.

SQUAD GOALS — The Waves have gone undefeated at 6-0 in West Coast Conference play previously, playing four matches at home and two on the road. As a team, Pepperdine produces 13.74 kills/set on a .282 success rate, while allowing opponents only 12.17 kills/set on a .152 clip. The Waves average 12.87 assists/set, 1.04 aces/st, 16.48 digs/set and 2.59 blocks/set, while allowing the opposition 11.61 assists/set, 0.87 aces/set, 15.70 digs/set and 0.96 blocks/set.

Rachel Ahrens, Shannon Scully, Meg Brown and Emma Ammerman all lead the Waves' attack force. Ahrens tallies 4.04 kills/set, while adding 1.74 digs/set and 065 blocks/set. Scully is good for 3.04 kills/set, 0.30 aces/set, 3.22 digs/set and 0.61 blocks/set in a well-rounded effort. Brown tabs 2.65 kills/set on a team-high .444 hitting percentage, with 1.26 blocks/set for the Waves, while Ammerman has posted 2.14 kills/set. Along with Brown at the net, Alli O'Harra produces 1.14 blocks/set as well. Madison Shields leads the back row with 4.70 digs/set and Isabel Zelaya has dished out 256 total assists for 11.13 assists/set.

THE COMPETITION — #12 BYU has gone 7-0 overall this season, with a 6-0 output among WCC opponents. As a team, the Cougars post 14.87 kills/set on a .329 output, with 14.35 assists/set, 2.04 aces/set, 15.22 digs/set and 1.85 blocks/set. BYU allows their opponent's 11.96 kills/set on a .210 clip, with 11.39 assists/set, 1.52 aces/set, 13.35 digs/set and 1.09 blocks/set.

All-time BYU leads with a 28-7 output against the Waves, beginning in 1976 when the Waves won a 2-0 matchup on neutral courts. Pepperdine claimed the team's last victory in 2011 with a pair of 3-1 wins over BYU, but since then the Cougars have won 16-straight.

Baylor has gone 13-3 overall this season so far, averaging 13.42 kill/set on a .276 clip with 12.48 assists/set, 1.08 aces/set, 12.83 digs/set and 2.62 blocks/set. The Bears have allowed opponents 10.57 kills/set on a .150 ouptut, with 10.10 assists/set, 0.97 aces/set, 12.15 digs/set and 1.58 blocks/set.

Baylor and Pepperdine have never faced each other.

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