MALIBU, Calif. — The Pepperdine beach volleyball team finished opening day of the Waves' own Asics Classic on Friday at the Pepperdine Beach Volleyball Courts with a solid pair of wins over Hope International and Utah.
 
The Waves (17-14) first defeated Hope International (5-11) with a clean 5-0 sweep, dominating with two-set wins on all five courts.  Pepperdine then faced off with Utah (18-13) and though the first flight split with a Waves' win on court two and a Utes' win on four, the home squad rallied to take all second flight matches for a 4-1 victory.
 
Four of the five Waves' pairings went 2-0 on the day, with Gabriella Perez and Sarlota Svobodova on court three and Aubrey Roberts and Emi Erickson on court five earning both their victories in straight sets.  Perez and Svobodova would be the pair to earn the clinch in each match as well.
 
After the duals had completed, Pepperdine honored the 2014 AVCA National Championship-winning team on the court with a brief celebration.  Those in attendance from the 2014 squad were Kellie Woolever, Delaney Knudsen Mehwhirter, Caitlin Racich Pearson, Reegan Dennis, Kelley Kolinske, Katie Messing and Leanna Schroeder.  Shortly after, all alumni from the Pepperdine beach volleyball program in attendance took center court as well.
 
The Asics Classic will continue on tomorrow, Saturday, April 20 as Pepperdine faces Utah at 10 a.m. and Hope International at 2 p.m.  After all the duals, the Waves will honor five seniors for their contributions to the Pepperdine beach volleyball program: Aubrey Roberts, Gracie Pedersen, Sarlota Svobodova, Kristine Briede and Chase Curry.
 
RESULTS
Pepperdine def. Hope International, 5-0
No. 1: Kate Clermont/McKenna Thomas (PEPP) def. Candice Palmer/Rachel Miller (HIU) – 21-16, 21-7
No. 2: Madison Oriskovich/Kristine Briede (PEPP) def. Cassidy Koffroth/Mara Sanchez (HIU) – 21-11, 21-8
No. 3: Gabriella Perez/Sarlota Svobodova (PEPP) def. Addie Matthias/Rachael Street (HIU) – 21-14, 21-8
No. 4: Gracie Pedersen/Kaydon Meyers (PEPP) def. Savannah Salter/Stephanie Perez (HIU) – 21-11, 21-3
No. 5: Emma Bubelis/Maya McNabney (PEPP) def. Kathrine Schwab/Emma Pearson (HIU) – 21-14, 21-6
Order of finish: 4, 2, 3*, 1, 5
 
Pepperdine def. Utah, 4-1
No. 1: Kate Clermont/McKenna Thomas (PEPP) def. Langley Griffin/Katie McAlister (UTAH) – 19-21, 21-13, 16-14
No. 2: Madison Oriskovich/Kristine Briede (PEPP) def. Rylee Johnson, Bella Vezzani (UTAH) – 18-21, 21-9, 15-11
No. 3: Gabriella Perez/Sarlota Svobodova (PEPP) def. Chloe Narancich/Lauren Sayre (UTAH) – 21-15, 21-11
No. 4: Kylie Pitzack/Marissa Koch (UTAH) def. Gracie Pedersen/Kaydon Meyers (PEPP) – 22-20, 21-17
No. 5: Aubrey Roberts/Emi Erickson (PEPP) def. Azure McOmber/Milan Ray (UTAH) – 21-12, 21-16
Exh: Sonja Wessel/Gwen Fife (UTAH) def. Lauren Cook/Grace Jackson (PEPP) 21-13, 21-10
Order of finish: 4, 2, 5, 3*, 1)
 
MATCH RECAP
In the first match against Hope International, Pepperdine took the courts with high energy, intent on a quick victory.  In the opening flight, Gracie Pedersen and Kaydon Meyers made quick work of their HIU opponents, defeating them with a commanding 21-11, 21-3 result for the first Waves' point of the day.  Madison Oriskovich and Kristine Briede then followed with a 21-11, 21-8 win on court two to send Pepperdine into the second flight up 2-0.
 
On court three, Gabriella Perez and Sarlota Svobodova would be the Waves to clinch, downing their opposition 21-14, 21-8. 
 
Pepperdine continued as Kate Clermont and McKenna Thomas defeated their opponents 21-16, 21-7 in the No. 1 position and Aubrey Roberts and Emi Erickson won 21-14, 21-6 on court five.
 
The second match was more contested than the first, with the Waves splitting the first flight.  Though Utah picked up the first win on court four, Pepperdine rallied as Oriskovich and Briede came back from a 21-18 first set loss to win the second 21-9 and force a third.  The duo had found their footing as well as they blasted off to a 15-11 third set win to tie the overall 1-1. 
 
Roberts and Erickson made it 2-1 with a 21-12, 21-16 win in the No. 5 slot and Perez and Svobodova were able to clinch the dual win with a 21-15, 21-11 victory on court three.
 
Pepperdine was not done either, as Clermont and Thomas put the cherry on top after battling back from a 21-19 first set loss to win the second 21-13 in the No. 1 position.  The pair battled through a tight third set, but were victorious with a 16-14 result.
 
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