Santa Cruz, Calif. – The #16 Pepperdine beach volleyball team went 2-0 on day one of the Mid-Season Invitational at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk courts on Friday, defeating San Jose State 4-1 before sweeping past fellow WCC opponent Saint Mary's.
 
With the victories, Pepperdine advances the season's record to 13-4 overall.  The Waves went 23-5 in sets played throughout the day.  Cameron Baklenko and Rio Frohoff clinched on court five for the Waves to open the day, while Mary Sinclair and Kate Clermont were the deciding court in the No. 4 position for the second match. 
 
The action will continue tomorrow with tournament-style play.  Pepperdine will be the #1 seed in pool two and will face the pool one #2 seeded Santa Clara at 10 a.m. to start things off.  The winner of the match will then play for 1^st place against the winner of LMU vs. Saint Mary's at 2 p.m., while the losing team in each of these matches will play for 3^rd at 1 p.m.
 
RESULTS
#16 Pepperdine def. San Jose State, 4-1
1. Melanie Paul/Madison Shields (PEPP) def. Haylee Nelson/Jaida Ward (SJSU) – 21-14, 21-17
2. Simone Priebe/McKenna Thomas (PEPP) def. Madeline Boerstra/Sarah Smevog (SJSU) – 23-21, 21-10
3. Mia Schafer/Chloe Culver (SJSU) def. Peyton Lewis/Juju Quintero (PEPP) – 21-16, 19-21, 15-9
4. Mary Sinclair/Kate Clermont (PEPP) def. Cheyenne Rice/Siena Brewster (SJSU) – 19-21, 21-15, 15-10
5. Cameron Baklenko/Rio Frohoff (PEPP) def. Letizia Cammillucci/Allison Pereira (SJSU) – 21-14, 21-17
Exh. Savana Greene/Jordan Benoit (PEPP) def. Kacy Hele/Abby Alvarez (SJSU) – 21-15, 21-12
Order of finish: 1, 2, 5*, 4, 3
 
#16 Pepperdine def. Saint Mary's, 5-0
1. Melanie Paul/Madison Shields (PEPP) def. Boo Laird/Jasmin Suarez (SMC) – 18-21, 21-12, 15-8
2. Simone Priebe/McKenna Thomas (PEPP) def. Selbie Christensen/ Chandler Cowell (SMC) – 21-10, 21-11
3. Peyton Lewis/Juju Quintero (PEPP) def. Makenna Joyce/Karmin Brown (SMC) – 21-14, 21-13
4. Mary Sinclair/Kate Clermont (PEPP) def. Hawley Harrer/Aeriel Sundt (SMC) – 21-16, 21-17
5. Cameron Baklenko/Rio Frohoff (PEPP) def. Genevieve Bane/Ella Sandt (SMC) – 21-11, 18-21, 15-10
Exh. Savana Greene/Jordan Benoit (PEPP) def. Trinity Durfee/Megan Chandler (SMC) – 21-9, 21-18
Order of finish: 2, 3, 4*, 5, 1
 
MATCH RECAPS
In the first match, the Waves came out swinging, collecting on three first-set wins with all six courts in play simultaneously.  Melanie Paul and Madison Shields made quick work of Haylee Nelson and Jaida Ward in the No. 1 position with a 21-14, 21-17 win to put the squad on the board early.  Simone Priebe and McKenna Thomas then put Pepperdine in a position to clinch after taking down Madeline Boerstra and Sarah Smevog 23-21, 21-10 in the No. 2 position.
 
Rio Frohoff and Cameron Baklenko would do the honors for the Waves, working towards a 21-14, 21-17 win over Letizia Cammillucci and Allison Pereira in the No. 5 position to make it 3-0 with two courts still left battling it out.
 
On court four, Mary Sinclair and Kate Clermont downed Cheyenne Rice and Siena Brewster in three sets, coming back from a 21-19 first set loss to win the next two 21-15, 15-10 for the 4-0 overall score.  San Jose State was able to take a three-set victory in the No. 3 position to make it 4-1 after the dual was complete. Savana Greene and Jordan Benoit also picked up a quick two-set win in the exhibition position, putting up a 21-15, 21-12 win over Kacy Hele and Abby Alvarez.
 
In the second match-up, Pepperdine won four first sets to open things up.  Priebe and Thomas dominated again in the No. 2 position, collecting on a 21-10, 21-11 win over Selbie Christensen and Chandler Cowell.  Peyton Lewis and Juju Quintero then put the squad in a position to clinch with a solid 21-14, 21-13 win in the No. 2 slot over Makenna Joyce and Karmin Brown.
 
Sinclair and Clermont would do the honors on court four, however, putting down Hawley Harrer and Aeriel Sundt 21-16, 21-17.  The Waves weren't done, though, as Baklenko and Frohoff battled through a 21-11, 18-21 split in the first two sets to win 15-10 and make it 4-0 with all eyes heading to court one to close down the show.
 
Paul and Shields had fallen 21-18 in the first set, but countered with a staggering 21-12 second set win to force a third.  After going point-for-point, but holding a slight edge through the majority of the third set, the Waves finished with a 15-8 set win to complete the Pepperdine sweep.  Benoit and Greene also handed Trinity Durfee and Megan Chandler a 21-9, 21-18 Waves win on the exhibition court during the dual.  

SCHEDULE
Saturday, March 26
Gold Bracket
9 AM – (#1) LMU vs. (#2) Saint Mary's
10 AM – (#1) Pepperdine vs. (#2) Santa Clara
1 PM – Gold losing teams play for 3^rd
2 PM – Gold winning teams play for 1^st

NEXT UP
Tomorrow, the Waves will continue the tournament in the Gold bracket.  The squad will be the #1 seed in pool two and will go head-to-head with the pool one #2 seed Santa Clara at 10 a.m.  The winner of that match will play for 1^st at 2 p.m. and the loser of that match will play for 3^rd at 1 p.m.
 
Next week, the Waves head to Jacksonville, Fla. To compete in the North Florida Invite, hosted by North Florida.  Pepperdine will go head-to-head against #4 Florida State and (RV) North Florida on Friday, April 1, before taking on #13 Georgia State and #10 Florida Atlantic on Saturday, April 2.

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