SANTA CRUZ, Calif.  —  The Pepperdine beach volleyball team finished in second place at the West Coast Challenge this weekend.
 
On Saturday, the Waves (11-8) swept San Francisco (7-16) in the semifinals, but then fell to #3 LMU (24-2) in the championship match.
 
SAN FRANCISCO RECAP
Kate Clermont (Burlington, Ontario, Canada) and McKenna Thomas (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) got things going and put Pepperdine up 1-0 with a commanding 21-13, 21-16 sweep on court one. In slot No. 2, Madison Oriskovich (Santa Barbara, Calif.) and Gabriella Perez (Loomis, Calif.) made it 2-0 after cruising to a 21-11, 21-18 victory. Emma Eden (Albuquerque, N.M.) and Ella Foti (Madison, Wis.) then clinched the duel for the Waves with a 21-12, 21-19 two-set win on court three.
 
In position No. 4, Emi Erickson (Honolulu, Hawaii) and Deanie Woodruff (Point Loma, Calif.) dropped their first set 19-21 before forcing a third set with their own 21-19 win in the second. In the final set, the Waves duo continued their momentum and won 15-7 to put Pepperdine in front 4-0. On court five, Emma Bubelis (Northbrook, Ill.) and Marley Johnson (Stuart, Fla.) split their first two sets 19-21, 21-9 and were also headed to a third. In the third, Bubelis and Johnson battled back-and-forth with the Dons duo as they went well past the 15-point mark. In the end, the Waves pair pulled out a 23-21 win in a thrilling final set to complete the Waves third sweep of the weekend.
 
#3 LMU RECAP
LMU jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead with a 21-11, 21-14 win in position No. 4. Looking to increase their lead, the Lions had taken the first set in slot No. 2, but ultimately had to forfeit the court due to injury, which made the duel score 1-1.
 
LMU then won court three in straight-sets, 21-18, 21-13, before clinching the match with a 21-19, 21-14 win on court one. In position No. 5, Bubelis and Johnson pushed the LMU pair in the first set, but the Lions were able to win the court 26-24, 21-17 to make the final score 4-1 in their favor.
 
RESULTS
Pepperdine def. San Francisco 5-0
No. 1. Kate Clermont/McKenna Thomas (PEPP) def. Kaydence Stormes/McKenna Towne (SF) 21-13, 21-16
No. 2 Madison Oriskovich/Gabriella Perez (PEPP) def. Rylie Reeves/Letzia Aquilino (SF) 21-11, 21-18
No. 3. Emma Eden/Ella Foti (PEPP) def. Branson Lennon/Burkleigh Smith (SF) 21-12, 21-19
No. 4. Emi Erickson/Deanie Woodruff (PEPP) def. Lucy Speier/Jacquelyn Strawn (SF) 19-21, 21-19, 15-7
No. 5. Emma Bubelis/Marley Johnson (PEPP) def. Francesca Stanschu/Rain Stevens (SF) 19-21, 21-9, 23-21
 
Order of finish: 1, 2, 3*, 4, 5
 
LMU def. Pepperdine 4-1
No. 1. Vilhelmiina Prihti/Michelle Shaffer (LMU) def. Kate Clermont/McKenna Thomas (PEPP) 21-19. 21-14
**No. 2  Madison Oriskovich/Gabriella Perez (PEPP) def. Chloe Hooker/Anna Pelloia (LMU) 15-21, 21-0, 15-0
No. 3. Lisa Luini/Abbey Thorup (LMU) def. Emma Eden/Ella Foti (PEPP) 21-18, 21-13
No. 4. Magdalena Rabitsch/Isabelle Reffel (LMU) def. Emi Erickson/Deanie Woodruff (PEPP) 21-11, 21-14
No. 5. Jaeya Brach/Tanon Rosenthal def. Emma Bubelis/Marley Johnson (PEPP) 26-24, 21-17
 
Order of finish: 4, 2, 3, 1*, 5
 
** LMU forfeited the court due to injury.
 
UP NEXT
Next week, the Waves will head to Tucson, Ariz. for the Big 12 Invitational where Pepperdine will take on TCU, Arizona State, Utah and Arizona.
 
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.