SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – The #19 Pepperdine beach volleyball team faced a pair of top-10 opponents to close out the Center of Effort Challenge on Saturday, first losing 5-0 to top-ranked TCU before dropping a tight 3-2 battle to PCH Cup rival #6 LMU.
 
The Waves' (16-10) No. 1 and 5 pairs, Kate Clermont and McKenna Thomas and Madison Oriskovich and Kristine Briede, highlighted the day after gritting out a pair of three-set wins against their Lions' opponents in the second dual.
 
RESULTS
#1 TCU def. #19 Pepperdine, 5-0
No. 1: Daniela Alvarez/Tania Moreno (TCU) def. McKenna Thomas/Kate Clermont (PEPP) – 21-13, 21-12
No. 2: Anhelina Khmil/Kate Privett (TCU) def. Alexus McLeod/Savannah Standage (PEPP) – 21-11, 21-17
No. 3: Sutton Mactavish/Hailey Hamlett (TCU) def. Gracie Pedersen/Jasmin Suarez (PEPP) – 21-15, 21-16
No. 4: Maria Gonzalez/Ana Vergara (TCU) def. Gracey Campbell/Gabriella Perez (PEPP) – 21-18, 15-21, 15-11
No. 5: Rochelle Scott/Hailey Brockett (TCU) def. Kristine Briede/Madison Oriskovich (PEPP) – 21-17, 21-14
Order of finish: 1, 5, 2*, 3, 4
 
#6 LMU def. #19 Pepperdine, 3-2
No. 1: McKenna Thomas/Kate Clermont (PEPP) def. Prihti Vilhemiina/Melanie Paul (LMU) – 12-21, 21-14, 15-10
No. 2: Kristine Garder/Abbey Thorup (LMU) def. Alexus McLeod/Jordan Benoit (PEPP) – 21-14, 21-13
No. 3: Alisha Stevens/Chloe Hooker (LMU) def. Gracie Pedersen/Jasmin Suarez (PEPP) – 21-13, 21-15
No. 4: Cassie Chinn/Jacinda Ramirez (LMU) def. Gracey Campbell/Gabriella Perez (PEPP) – 21-17, 21-19
No. 5: Kristine Briede/Madison Oriskovich (PEPP) def. Madi Firnett/Isabelle Tucker (LMU) – 19-21, 21-17, 16-14
Order of finish: 3, 4, 2*, 1, 5
 
MATCH RECAPS
In the first dual of the day, the Horned Frogs came out swinging, collecting all first set wins.  The Waves on court four, Gabriella Perez and Gracey Campbell forced a third set after winning the second 21-15, but TCU was able to take the win.  The opposition had collected two-set wins on the other four courts as well to win the dual 5-0.
 
In the second dual of the day against cross-town PCH Cup rival LMU, Pepperdine got off to a slow start, dropping all five first sets, though Kate Clermont and McKenna Thomas on one and Madison Oriskovich and Kristine Briede on five rallied to win their second sets.  On other courts, however, the Lions were able to pick up straight-set wins to clinch the dual as the No. 1 and 5 positions entered their third sets.
 
The Waves would finish on a high note, though, as Clermont and Thomas rallied back to solidly win 15-10 on court one to make it 3-1.  Oriskovich and Briede also gritted out a third-set win, closing down the dual with an exciting 16-14 victory for a 3-2 final overall score.
 
NEXT UP
On April 22, the Waves will play the final regular season duals of the season, facing LMU and Washington in Los Angeles.
 
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