SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — The Pepperdine beach volleyball team faced off with a pair of top-five nationally ranked competitors to kick off the Center for Effort Beach Volleyball Challenge at Swanson Beach Volleyball Complex on Friday, though #2 USC and #5 TCU would win those respective matches.
 
The Waves first challenged #2 USC, falling 4-1, though Kate Clermont and McKenna Thomas highlighted the match by taking down the Trojans in the No. 1 position after a three-set bout.  Pepperdine then took on #5 TCU with the Horned Frogs winning 5-0.

Tomorrow, Pepperdine will continue with the Center of Effort tournament in San Luis Obispo, Calif., challenging Long Beach State at 11:30 a.m.  The Waves will play in additional dual later in the day based on seeding.
 
RESULTS
Pepperdine 1, #2 USC 4
No. 1: Kate Clermont/McKenna Thomas (PEPP) def. Laynie Maple/Megan Kraft (USC) – 22-20, 11-21, 15-10
No. 2: Audrey Nourse/Nicole Nourse (USC) def. Madison Oriskovich/Kristine Briede (PEPP) – 21-11, 21-19
No. 3: Maddi Kriz/Grace Seits (USC) def. Gabriella Perez/Sarlota Svobodova (PEPP) – 21-10, 21-11
No. 4: Madison White/Madison Goellner (USC) def. Gracie Pedersen/Kaydon Meyers (PEPP) – 21-13, 21-18
No. 5: Ainsley Radell/Mabyn Thomas (USC) def. Aubrey Roberts/Emi Erickson (PEPP) – 21-17, 21-13
Order of finish: 4, 2, 3*, 5, 1
 
Pepperdine 0, #5 TCU 5
No. 1: Hailey Hamlet/Sutton Mactavish (TCU) def. Kate Clermont/McKenna Thomas (PEPP) – 21-12, 21-14
No. 2: Ana Vergara/Anhelina Khmil (TCU) def. Madison Oriskovich/Kristine Briede (PEPP) – 21-10, 21-14
No. 3: Tara Patton/Morgan Williams (TCU) def. Gabriella Perez/Sarlota Svobodova (PEPP) – 21-18, 21-15
No. 4: Keagan Polk/Luana Araco (TCU) def. Gracie Pedersen/Kaydon Meyers (PEPP) – 21-14, 21-14
No. 5: Emma Glagau/Olivia Clines (TCU) def. Maya McNabney/Emma Bubelis (PEPP) – 21-16, 21-15
Order of finish: 1, 2, 4*, 5, 3
 
MATCH RECAP
To open the day, the Waves faced off with Trojans.  Though USC picked up first set wins on four courts, Kate Clermont and McKenna Thomas highlighted the match on court one with a well-fought 22-20 opening set victory. 
 
Though the pair would drop the second set 21-11, the duo bounced back in the third to pick up a resounding 15-10 win and put a point on the board for Pepperdine.  The opposition would have the edge on all other courts, however, ending the match with two-set victories for a 4-1 team win.
 
In the second match, Pepperdine faced off with #5 TCU, but the Horned Frogs would have the edge.  The opposition collected first set wins on all five courts.  In the No. 3 position, Gabriella Perez and Sarlota Svobodova battled it out with their competition, but was eventually felled 21-18 in the first set. 
 
TCU was able to use that energy from the opening sets to continue on to wins in the second set for the sweep.
 
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