HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The Pepperdine women's beach volleyball duo of Kate Clermont and Madison Oriskovich won two of their three matches today to advance to the round of 32 at the AVCA Fall Pairs Championship.
 
Also representing the Waves in the tournament, Emma Eden and McKenna Thomas won one of their three matches on the day. 
 
MATCH RECAPS
 
CLERMONT/ORISKOVICH
In the opening round of pool play, the No. 32 overall seeded duo of senior Kate Clermont (Burlington, Ontario, Canada) and senior Madison Oriskovich (Santa Barbara, Calif.) dropped a highly contested first set 20-22 to the No. 33 seeded pair of Bailey Showalter and Kaylee Young from USC. Pepperdine's duo forced an all-deciding third set with a 21-18 second set victory, but ultimately fell to the Trojan duo 12-15 in the final set.
 
After the close opening match loss, Clermont and Oriskovich bounced back and won their second match in straight sets 21-19, 21-18 against the No. 64 seeded duo of Katie Bockhorst and Annalie McWhorter out of Lindenwood. With the win, the Pepperdine pair secured a spot in the championship bracket.
 
Following pool play, Clermont and Oriskovich entered the championship bracket as the #36 seed and matched up against the #29 seed in McKenzie Cutler and Emily Heintzelman from Tulane. The Pepperdine pair won a back-and-forth first set 24-22 before Tulane forced a third set. Clermont and Oriskovich pulled out a 15-13 third set victory to defeat the Green Wave duo and move on to the round of 32.
 
EDEN/THOMAS
Freshman Emma Eden (Albuquerque, N.M.) and senior McKenna Thomas (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) entered the tournament seeded 35th and had an opening round matchup with the 30th seeded pair of Skylar Martin and Aubrey O'Gorman out of LSU. Eden and Thomas cruised to a straight set win over LSU 21-17, 21-16 to move onto the winners side of their pool.
 
Although Eden and Thomas then fell in straight sets 11-21, 14-21 to third 3rd overall seed from Long Beach State, Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah, the Pepperdine duo took second place in their pool and earned a spot in the championship bracket.
 
After taking second in their pool and earning the #28 seed in the championship bracket, Eden and Thomas battled against the Hawaii pair of Sarah Burton and Caprice Lorenzo who entered bracket play as the 37th seed. Hawaii won the opening set 21-15 before the Waves won the second set 21-17 and forced an all-deciding third set. However, the Rainbow Warriors would go on to win the final set 16-14 and defeat the Waves.
 
RESULTS

CLERMONT/ORISKOVICH
Pool Play Opening Round: #33 Bailey Showalter/Kaylee Young (USC) def.  #32 Kate Clermont/Madison Oriskovich (PEPP) – 22-20, 18-21, 15-12
 
Pool Play Third Place Game: #32 Kate Clermont/Madison Oriskovich (PEPP) def. #64 Katie Bockhorst/Annalie McWhorter (LU) - 21-19, 21-18
 
Champions Bracket Opening Round: #36 Kate Clermont/Madison Oriskovich (PEPP) def. #29 McKenzie Cutler/Emily Heintzelman (TUL) - 24-22, 15-21, 15-13
 
EDEN/THOMAS
Pool Play Opening Round: #35 Emma Eden/McKenna Thomas (PEPP) def. #30 Skylar Martin/Aubrey O'Gorman (LSU) - 21-17, 21-16
 
Pool Play First Place Game: #3 Malia Gementera/Taylor Hagenah (LBSU) def. #35 Emma Eden/McKenna Thomas (PEPP) - 21-11, 21-14
 
Champions Bracket Opening Round: #37 Sarah Burton/Caprice Lorenzo (UH) def.  #28 Emma Eden/McKenna Thomas (PEPP) - 21-15, 17-21, 16-14.
 
UP NEXT
 
Clermont and Oriskovich will take on the fourth seeded duo of Isabella Martinez and Logan Walter out of Cal Poly in the round of 32 tomorrow morning. Also tomorrow morning, Eden and Thomas will compete against Kristin Bobay and Millie Olsson who are representing TAMU-CC.
 
FOLLOW
 
Follow @WavesBeachVB on Facebook and X for immediate updates, results and more.  Go to PepperdineWaves.com for all information, releases and schedules. Find the Waves on Instagram @peppbeachvolley.