MALIBU, Calif. — Coming off the third week of West Coast Conference play, the reigning WCC champions will look to bounce back after falling in five sets to LMU last weekend. The Waves are set to host a pair of WCC matches against Saint Mary's and Portland in Firestone Fieldhouse this weekend.
Fans are encouraged to wear pink to Thursday's match against Saint Mary's, which is the team's annual Dig Pink night in support of the fight against breast cancer. All relevant links for both matches can be found on the women's volleyball team's schedule page on pepperdinewaves.com.
MATCH #16 — Thursday, Oct. 17 at Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, Calif. | Pepperdine (7-8, 4-1 WCC) vs. Saint Mary's (5-9, 1-4 WCC) at 6 p.m. | ESPN+
MATCH #17 — Saturday, Oct. 19 at Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, Calif. | Pepperdine (7-8, 4-1 WCC) vs. Portland (10-6, 3-3 WCC) at noon | ESPN+
SOCIAL MEDIA — Follow @WavesVolleyball on X for updates and check out PepperdineWaves.com and Facebook (/WavesVolleyball) for releases and more information. Find the Waves on Instagram @peppvolley.
ESPN+ & COVERAGE — For the second straight year, all WCC matches will be streamed live on ESPN+. Live stats and live stream links can be found on pepperdinewaves.com.
THE COMPETITION — The Gaels have gone 5-9 to start their season and 1-4 in conference play so far. Last week, Saint Mary's swept Gonzaga on Thursday and then lost in five sets to Washington State on Saturday night. Currently standing at ninth in the conference, Saint Mary's is averaging 12.7 kills per set with a .241 hitting percentage, as well as 13.9 digs, 1.9 blocks, and 1.4 service aces per set. The Waves lead the series 58-16 all-time against the Gaels, with their last two meetings resulting in sweeps for Pepperdine.
Portland is 10-6 overall on the season, going 3-3 in WCC matches. Last week, the Pilots fell 3-1 against San Francisco on Thursday but swept Santa Clara on Saturday. Portland is sixth in WCC rankings, but sits second in hitting percentage and kills with a .244 success rate with 13.38 kills per set. The Pilots also rank first in the WCC in assists, averaging 12.41 per set. In the national rankings, Portland ranks 52nd in kills per set and is ranked 55th in hitting percentage. The Waves lead the series 68-6 all-time against the Pilots.
UP NEXT — The Waves will continue its stretch of WCC play by traveling up north to play San Francisco on October 24th at 7 p.m. before heading to Santa Clara for a match on October 26 at 1 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT — Pepperdine only had one match last week, against PCH Cup rival, LMU. Despite a career-high 24 kills from senior Grace Chillingworth, the team's comeback attempt fell short in a 3-2 (18-25, 21-25, 25-18, 25-21, 12-15) loss. Birdie Hendrickson added 16 kills for the Pepperdine offense, while middle blockers Kenadie Patterson and Ella Piskorz chipped in five kills apiece. Trinity Stanger led the Waves' defense with 24 digs while Rosemary Archer and Brynne McGhie split playmaking duties with 27 and 20 assists, respectively.
WCC PRESEASON HONORS — Grace Chillingworth, Birdie Hendrickson and Riley Simpson all made the WCC All-Preseason Team, which was announced in August. The Waves were also picked to finish first in the WCC Preseason Coaches' Poll, receiving eight first-place votes.
2023 RECAP — The Waves are coming off a 19-9 season, including a WCC Championship win and berth into the program's 27th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, which is the program's fifth in the last six years. After a 1-6 start to the 2023 campaign, the Waves rallied, winning the next 17 consecutive matches, including 14 in straight sets from Sept. 10 through Nov. 11. The 17 wins in a row tied the program's second-best win streak in history, which had last been done in 2002 (17) and 2003 (25). It was the eighth time in program history that Pepperdine has won 13 or more games consecutively as well. In conference play, the Waves dropped just six of the 53 sets they played. The team ended their season in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, losing in five sets to #18 Dayton.
The Waves averaged 12.5 kills per set on a .228 success rate while adding 14.3 digs, 12.5 assists, 2.4 blocks, and 1.5 aces per set. Pepperdine kept opponents to 12.1 kills with a .194 hitting percentage. Grace Chillingworth led the attack, posting 3.78 kills per set on a .272 clip, while also leading the squad in service aces, recording 32 aces in her 96 sets played. Vanessa Polk posted strong defensive efforts, adding .84 blocks per set. Brynne McGhie had a solid freshman campaign on playmaking duties, tallying 2.56 assists per set last season.
ONE LAST BOWL OF CHILLI — Returning for her final season with the Waves, 2023 WCC Player of the Year, Grace Chillingworth will look to help the squad defend its WCC title. The senior outside/opposite hitter from Tustin, Calif. collected AVCA All-American and AVCA All-Pacific South Region awards, as well as four WCC Offensive Player of the Week honors last season. Chillingworth led the league by averaging 3.78 kills per set last season, which also ranked 64th in the nation, while also recording seven double-doubles, and 22 matches with double-figure kills.
FRESHMEN TAKEOVER — The 2024 squad features seven freshmen, making up almost half of the Waves' roster. Team Canada middle blocker Ella Piskorz, is joining Pepperdine after being a part of Canada's U19 FIVB squad that played at the World Championship in Croatia and Hungary in 2023. Outside hitter and all-league player of the year, Chloe Pravednikov is a Southern California native and collected numerous league awards throughout her four-year varsity run. A libero out of Kailua, Hawai'i, Charis Kai, earned a spot on the Prep Volleyball Class of 2024 Watch List, helped her team to a HHSAA Division II State Championship in 2023. Maggie Beauer also joins the squad after winning the American National Championship in 2024, while earning MVP honors at the tournament. Beauer also helped her high school be ranked as high as 23rd in the nation and win the 2023 6A Arizona State Championship. Mila Stojakovic, daughter of longtime Sacramento King Peja Stojakovic, bolsters the front row after helping lead St. Francis Catholic HS to a sectional championship last year. Tustin, Calif. native Ella Irwin will help defensively, having played four years of varsity volleyball as a libero for Foothill High School in Tustin, Calif. Texan setter Piper Justiss rounds out the group of freshmen; she was a 6A All-District selection for Bowie High School in 2023.
MORE THAN AN ATHLETE — For several seasons, the Waves have made mental health a priority among the team. The white jerseys the team wears sport a green ribbon, which signifies mental health awareness. Throughout a majority of the games, many players will wear green hair ties and bracelets, and even paint their nails, all in support of the mental health awareness initiative and erasing the stigma. The team also has two shirts that sport the phrases "'More Than an Athlete" and "Be Kind to Your Mind." A focus for the team is to live an honest and healthy lifestyle with each other. At practice, the team will have at least one weekly meeting and check-in with the team and coaches where the floor is open. From those check-ins, the team knows who needs to be lifted up throughout the week, who needs to be checked in with and reasons why they might be struggling. Pepperdine women's volleyball is attempting to erase the stigma surrounding mental health in athletes.
SEASON TICKETS — 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.
GROUP OPPORTUNITIES — Interested in bringing your group out to a Pepperdine Athletics event? Unique experiences include anthem buddies, national anthem performances, fan tunnels, halftime performances and more. Group tickets (15+ tickets) and experiences are available, beginning at $5 per person for women's volleyball, men's water polo and women's soccer. Those interested in purchasing group tickets can fill out this form or reach out to the ticket office via e-mail wavestix@pepperdine.edu or phone (866) WAVE-TIX.
JR. WAVES — Register your kid(s) to join Pepperdine's official kids club, "Jr. Waves" for the 2024-2025 academic year. Jr. Waves receive an exclusive t-shirt, membership card and a lanyard that grants free general admission to all Pepperdine ticketed sporting events. Memberships start at $100 per kid.
