BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The #14 Pepperdine beach volleyball team swept past fellow WCC opponent Pacific, as well as Vanguard, to open both the Barnes Beach Complex 'Runner Invite and the 2022 season on Friday afternoon.  The Waves did not drop a single set throughout the day, going 10-0 overall, including 4-0 in exhibition play.
 
The squad will square up against tournament host CSU Bakersfield tomorrow, Saturday at 12 p.m. in Bakersfield, Calif.
 
RESULTS
No. 14 Pepperdine def. Pacific, 5-0
1. Melanie Paul/Madison Shields (PEPP) def. Jenny Todd/Sammie Sheppard (PAC) – 21-9, 21-9
2. Simone Priebe/McKenna Thomas (PEPP) def. Brooklynn Thomas/Rachel Mueller (PAC) – 21-7, 21-11
3. Cameron Baklenko/Rio Frohoff (PEPP) def. Hania Taduran/Lucy Carpenter (PAC) – 21-15, 21-15
4. Mary Sinclair/Juju Quintero (PEPP) def. Darina Kuminova/Francheska Aguilar (PAC) – 21-19, 21-8
5. Jordan Benoit/Kate Clermont (PEPP) def. Megan Nishimura/Shahrzad Sadeghi (PAC) – 21-15, 21-11
Exh. Peyton Lewis/Savana Greene (PEPP) def. Jewel Turner/Sammie Sublett (PAC) – 21-9, 21-3
Order of finish: 2, 4, 1*, 5, 3
 
No. 14 Pepperdine def. Vanguard, 5-0
1. Melanie Paul/Madison Shields (PEPP) def. Conley Harris/Natalie Escher (VAN) – 23-21, 21-14
2. Simone Priebe/McKenna Thomas (PEPP) def. Morgan Nash/Vashti Elias Romero (VAN) – 21-10, 21-18
3. Cameron Baklenko/Rio Frohoff (PEPP) def. Emma Galloway/Carly McKinney (VAN) – 23-21, 21-16
4. Mary Sinclair/Juju Quintero (PEPP) def. Cambria Fernandez/Bailey Coffin (VAN) – 21-18, 21-13
5. Jordan Benoit/Kate Clermont (PEPP) def. Hally Herder/Madison Arnold (VAN) – 21-9, 21-16
Exh. Peyton Lewis/Savana Greene (PEPP) def. (VAN) – 21-18, 21-17
Order of finish: 2, 4, 5*, 3, 1
 
MATCH RECAPS
The Waves came crashing out of the starting gates against fellow West Coast Conference foe Pacific.  On the exhibition court, Peyton Lewis and Savana Greene made quick work of their Tigers' opposition, winning the match 21-9, 21-3.  In the first flight, Simone Priebe and McKenna Thomas struck first on the scoreboard, taking down Brooklynn Thomas and Rachel Mueller 21-17, 21-11 in the No. 2 position.  Mary Sinclair and Juju Quintero then came back to gain the edge with a 21-19 first set win, before dominating the second set 21-8 against Darina Kuminova and Francheska Aguilar to put the Waves ahead 2-0.
 
Pepperdine had the advantage in the second flight and used that to the squad's advantage.  Melanie Paul and Madison Shields put own identical 21-9 set scores over Jenny Todd and Sammie Sheppard in the top spot to clinch the overall win. 
 
The other Waves would not be outdone, however, as Jordan Benoit and Kate Clermont swept past Megan Nishimura and Shahrzad Sadeghi 21-15, 21-11 on court five.  Cameron Baklenko and Rio Frohoff then completed the sweep with a well-fought 21-15, 21-15 victory in the No. 3 position against Hania Taduran and Lucy Carpenter.
 
Vanguard put up a fight throughout the second match, but it would be all Waves yet again to close the day, beginning with another Priebe, Thomas first-point after the pair secured a 21-10, 21-18 win in the No. 2 slot over their Lions' opponents  Sinclair and Quintero earned the squad's second point after putting down their opposition with a 21-18, 21-13 win.  Lewis and Greene won their match 21-18, 21-17 on the exhibition court as well.
 
With the favor on Pepperdine's side of the court, the Waves in the second flight came out tough as well.  Benoit and Clermont had the edge early on, dominating on court five with a 21-9, 21-16 win over Vanguard to clinch the overall match.
 
Baklenko and Frohoff and Paul and Shields continued for the Waves, looking for the sweep.  Baklenko and Frohoff downed the opposition on court three and Paul and Shields closed things up on court one with a 23-21, 21-18 win over the Lions.   
 
FOLLOW
Follow @WavesBeachVB on Facebook and Twitter for immediate updates, results and more.  Go to PepperdineWaves.com for all information, releases and schedules.