LOS ANGELES — Despite a career-high 24 kills from senior Grace Chillingworth, the Pepperdine women's volleyball team's comeback attempt fell short in a 3-2 (18-25, 21-25, 25-18, 25-21, 12-15) loss to PCH Cup rival LMU on Saturday afternoon.

The Waves (7-8, 4-1 West Coast Conference) tied the score at 11 in the fifth set, yet the Lions (13-4, 5-1 WCC) closed the match on a 4-1 run to upset the defending conference champions. Saturday's loss not only snapped a four-match win streak for Pepperdine, but also was LMU's first five-set win over Pepperdine since 1998.

Chillingworth's 24-kill, 14-dig double-double led all players, while Birdie Hendrickson chipped in 16 kills for Pepperdine. Middle blockers Kenadie Patterson and Ella Piskorz chipped in five kills apiece while reigning WCC Defensive Player of the Week Trinity Stanger led all players with 24 digs. Setters Rosemary Archer and Brynne McGhie split playmaking duties with 27 and 20 assists, respectively.

LMU's offense was ready in the first set, out-hitting Pepperdine with a .204 hitting percentage to the Waves' .065 clip. With the score tied at seven thanks to a Hendrickson kill, the Lions sided out thanks to a service error, then took a 10-7 lead off a service ace. From there, the Lions never trailed, and although the Waves cut the deficit to four twice down the stretch, LMU won the first set convincingly, 25-18.

For the second consecutive set, the Waves took an early 3-0 lead, but the Lions rattled off a 6-1 run to take back the lead. Pepperdine played from behind all set but came close to taking back the lead with a 4-0 run sparked by Chillingworth. Trailing 20-16, McGhie found Chillingworth for a kill, then the Waves climbed back into the match with Chillingworth behind the service line to make the score 20-19, LMU. However, the Lions closed the set on a 5-2 run to go up two sets to none.

With their backs against the wall, the Waves put together their best offensive set of the afternoon in the third by posting a .324 hitting percentage with 16 kills. Back-to-back kills from Hendrickson tied the score at nine, then a 4-1 run midway through the set capped off by another Chillingworth swing put the Waves ahead 13-11. The Waves never trailed from that point forward. Leading 21-18, a kill from Patterson sparked a set-ending 4-0 run capped off by consecutive kills from Chillingworth and an ace on match point from Stanger to extend the match.

Pepperdine needed to fend off LMU late in the fourth set, yet the Waves' offense kept momentum from the previous set, as the team tallied 14 kills and hit .250 in the frame. Both teams kept things close early until Riley Simpson sparked a mini, 3-0 run capped off by a Chillingworth ace to put the Waves up 14-11. Like she has been wont to do, Hendrickson also came alive late in the match: The graduate senior went on a personal 4-1 run to give Pepperdine an 18-14 lead, before a block from Chloe Pravednikov extended the Waves' lead to five. But LMU retaliated with a 5-0 run of its own to make the score 21-20. Yet Archer found Chillingworth for four late kills in the set as the Waves forced a fifth set with a 25-21 victory.

The fifth set saw LMU take a 5-2 lead before Chillingworth sparked a 4-0 Pepperdine run that put the Waves up front. Both teams traded errors until Piskorz's ace pulled Pepperdine within one, 10-9, yet several lengthy challenges took the air out of the building. With LMU up 11-9, Hendrickson answered the call with back-to-back kills to tie the score, yet the Lions prevailed down the stretch to win the final set 15-12.

NEXT UP

Pepperdine returns to Firestone Fieldhouse on Thursday, Oct. 16 for a match against Saint Mary's at 6 p.m. Fans are encouraged to wear pink, as it is the team's annual Dig Pink night. Season tickets are now available for all fall sports, including women's volleyball. Additionally, Pepperdine is offering a Fall All-Sport Pass, which grants admission to all fall home sports including women's soccer, women's volleyball and men's water polo — a $525 retail value for just $150. Learn more and access those exclusive season ticket offers here: gowav.es/peppszntix2425.

FOLLOW

Follow the Waves on Facebook and X, @WavesVolleyball, and follow the team on Instagram, @peppvolley. Get all the most recent schedules, results and more on www.PepperdineWaves.com.