Friday, February 18
Phoenix, Ariz.
5:00 p.m. PT
Pepperdine University
at
Grand Canyon
Scott Solan
Photo by: Martin A. Folb
#8 Waves Begin MPSF Play at #10 Grand Canyon
2/16/2022 9:39:00 AM | Men's Volleyball
MALIBU, California — The #8 Pepperdine men's volleyball team opens up Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play this weekend with a pair of matches at #10 Grand Canyon. Jaylen Jasper was named the MPSF's Offensive Player of the Week on Monday.
MATCH #9 — Friday (February 18) at GCU Arena in Phoenix, Arizona: #8 Pepperdine (5-3, 0-0) at #10 Grand Canyon (6-5, 0-0) at 6 p.m. MT / 5 p.m. PT.
MATCH #10 — Sunday (February 20) at GCU Arena in Phoenix, Arizona: #8 Pepperdine at #10 Grand Canyon at 2 p.m. MT / 1 p.m. PT.
WATCH/ONLINE — Both matches will be streamed by Grand Canyon on ESPN+. Links to broadcasts and live stats can be found at PepperdineWaves.com.
OPPONENT — Pepperdine is 7-2 all-time against Grand Canyon. The Waves are 1-2 in their three trips to Phoenix. The schools last played there in 2020, a four-set GCU victory. Pepperdine won there in five sets in 2019. Pepperdine won all three meetings played in Malibu in 2021.
LAST WEEK — The Waves split a pair of matches with UC Irvine, winning in three sets at home on Wednesday and falling in four sets in Irvine on Friday. The Waves hit .260 but had a season-high 15.0 blocks as well as six aces against just seven service errors in the win. Despite outhitting (.395-.311) and outblocking (8.0-4.5) UCI in the second match, the Waves couldn't get the sweep.
NATIONAL STATS — The Waves are in the top 10 in the nation in aces (2.00, third), kills (12.89, fourth), blocks (2.73, fifth) and hitting (.332, seventh) ... Austin Wilmot is third in fourth in blocks (1.33) ... Bryce Dvorak is fourth in assists (10.39) and 10th in aces (0.57).
IN-SEASON HONORS — Jaylen Jasper was named MPSF Offensive Player of the Week on February 14 after averaging 4.86 kills and 6.00 points while hitting .563 in two matches against UC Irvine ... Bryce Dvorak (9.33 assists/set, .488 team hitting) and Austin Wilmot (1.60 blocks/set) swept the MPSF Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week awards, respectively, on January 17 after two wins against Erskine.
PRESEASON HONORS — Off the Block recognized five of the Waves with preseason acclaim. Four were named preseason All-Americans (Pepperdine had more than any other school), with Austin Wilmot on the first team, and Trey Cole, Bryce Dvorak and Spencer Wickens on the second team. Additionally, Jaylen Jasper was named the nation's top transfer.
MILESTONES — Jaylen Jasper surpassed the 1,000 career kills milestone on February 11 at UC Irvine (the first 917 came at Stanford).
MPSF — The Waves were picked as the MPSF favorite in a preseason vote of the league's coaches. Pepperdine received five of the seven first-place votes. The Waves were followed by UCLA, BYU, Grand Canyon, USC, Stanford and Concordia.
ABOUT PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY — Pepperdine boasts a one-of-a-kind athletic department with unprecedented success for a school of its size. The Waves have won NCAA Division I championships in five different men's sports — one of just 18 schools to have accomplished this feat — and 10 overall. Of this elite group, Pepperdine has the smallest undergraduate enrollment, is the only school without football and is the only university that has not been affiliated with a "major" conference. The Waves have won a total of 26 team or individual national championships in their history. Pepperdine has also earned the Division I-AAA All-Sports Trophy, an award based on postseason success that's given to the top non-football school, three times (most recently in 2011-12). Located in scenic Malibu, California, the university overlooks the Pacific Ocean and its campus and athletic facilities are regularly voted among the nation's most beautiful. Pepperdine, which is affiliated with the Church of Christ, ranks #49 overall on U.S. News and World Report's list of America's best colleges.
MATCH #9 — Friday (February 18) at GCU Arena in Phoenix, Arizona: #8 Pepperdine (5-3, 0-0) at #10 Grand Canyon (6-5, 0-0) at 6 p.m. MT / 5 p.m. PT.
MATCH #10 — Sunday (February 20) at GCU Arena in Phoenix, Arizona: #8 Pepperdine at #10 Grand Canyon at 2 p.m. MT / 1 p.m. PT.
WATCH/ONLINE — Both matches will be streamed by Grand Canyon on ESPN+. Links to broadcasts and live stats can be found at PepperdineWaves.com.
OPPONENT — Pepperdine is 7-2 all-time against Grand Canyon. The Waves are 1-2 in their three trips to Phoenix. The schools last played there in 2020, a four-set GCU victory. Pepperdine won there in five sets in 2019. Pepperdine won all three meetings played in Malibu in 2021.
LAST WEEK — The Waves split a pair of matches with UC Irvine, winning in three sets at home on Wednesday and falling in four sets in Irvine on Friday. The Waves hit .260 but had a season-high 15.0 blocks as well as six aces against just seven service errors in the win. Despite outhitting (.395-.311) and outblocking (8.0-4.5) UCI in the second match, the Waves couldn't get the sweep.
NATIONAL STATS — The Waves are in the top 10 in the nation in aces (2.00, third), kills (12.89, fourth), blocks (2.73, fifth) and hitting (.332, seventh) ... Austin Wilmot is third in fourth in blocks (1.33) ... Bryce Dvorak is fourth in assists (10.39) and 10th in aces (0.57).
IN-SEASON HONORS — Jaylen Jasper was named MPSF Offensive Player of the Week on February 14 after averaging 4.86 kills and 6.00 points while hitting .563 in two matches against UC Irvine ... Bryce Dvorak (9.33 assists/set, .488 team hitting) and Austin Wilmot (1.60 blocks/set) swept the MPSF Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week awards, respectively, on January 17 after two wins against Erskine.
PRESEASON HONORS — Off the Block recognized five of the Waves with preseason acclaim. Four were named preseason All-Americans (Pepperdine had more than any other school), with Austin Wilmot on the first team, and Trey Cole, Bryce Dvorak and Spencer Wickens on the second team. Additionally, Jaylen Jasper was named the nation's top transfer.
MILESTONES — Jaylen Jasper surpassed the 1,000 career kills milestone on February 11 at UC Irvine (the first 917 came at Stanford).
MPSF — The Waves were picked as the MPSF favorite in a preseason vote of the league's coaches. Pepperdine received five of the seven first-place votes. The Waves were followed by UCLA, BYU, Grand Canyon, USC, Stanford and Concordia.
ABOUT PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY — Pepperdine boasts a one-of-a-kind athletic department with unprecedented success for a school of its size. The Waves have won NCAA Division I championships in five different men's sports — one of just 18 schools to have accomplished this feat — and 10 overall. Of this elite group, Pepperdine has the smallest undergraduate enrollment, is the only school without football and is the only university that has not been affiliated with a "major" conference. The Waves have won a total of 26 team or individual national championships in their history. Pepperdine has also earned the Division I-AAA All-Sports Trophy, an award based on postseason success that's given to the top non-football school, three times (most recently in 2011-12). Located in scenic Malibu, California, the university overlooks the Pacific Ocean and its campus and athletic facilities are regularly voted among the nation's most beautiful. Pepperdine, which is affiliated with the Church of Christ, ranks #49 overall on U.S. News and World Report's list of America's best colleges.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Volleyball
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/ Men's Volleyball
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/ Men's Volleyball
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/ Men's Volleyball
