TEMPE, Ariz. — Hanging with the No. 8 Arizona State Sun Devils (7-2), the Pepperdine women's volleyball team (5-5) pushed the Sun Devils in two close sets before falling 3-0 on Friday night.
"We play these matches against some really good teams, and the goal in our non-conference is to see how we measure up to the best in the country," Head coach Scott Wong said. "Tonight against ASU was a tough test that we responded to in some ways, but there were some other things that we need to work on. All in all, it was nice to see the team fight, compete and be one point away from a game. There's definitely a lot to grow from."
Arizonan Maggie Beauer led the Waves with nine kills, while Chloe Pravednikov chipped in eight and Vanessa Polk used a strong start to add seven kills and tie the team high with four blocks. Freshman Tristen Raymond contributed 11 assists, eight digs and a pair of service aces, all of which were team-highs.
Playing against their third ranked opponent of the year, the Waves were undaunted at the onset and took a 9-5 lead thanks to a pair of early kills from Polk. Setters Brynne McGhie and Tristen Raymond found four different players for kills during the opening salvo, yet the lead was short-lived. Arizona State flipped the script with an 8-1 run that ultimately was the difference. Late in the set, Pepperdine got within three points twice: First when Polk and Ella Piskorz teamed up for a block to make the score 23-20, and then Polk's fourth swing of the night found the floor to save a set point at 24-21. However, ASU wound up winning the first set 25-21.
Like they did in the first set, the Waves built a four-point lead early in the second set. A 3-0 run with kills from Pravednikov and Raymond, plus an ace that Emma McMahon dropped in the middle of the ASU defense to make the score 9-5 once more.
Pepperdine had moments of excellence throughout the second set that helped them hang with the Sun Devils. With the score tied at 11 all, Pepperdine's back row showed impressive hustle when McGhie sprinted back to the bench for a dig, which kept the rally alive long enough for Raymond to notch a kill and help the Waves reclaim the lead. Later in the frame, Pepperdine took a 23-22 lead with consecutive swings from Pravednikov and a block from sophomores Pravednikov and Piskorz. Just like she did in the first set, Polk came through with another late kill to give Pepperdine its first set point at 24-23.
Unfortunately for the Waves, Arizona State saved a set point and wrapped up their 27-25 win with a 4-1 run.
The final set was all Arizona State. The Sun Devils bolted out to a 10-1 lead and, despite a set marred with challenges and lengthy delays, kept the Waves at bay. In her first appearance as a Wave, Southern Utah transfer Nalani Muniz dished out three assists as Pepperdine chipped away at the lead, but the Waves couldn't get within six points of ASU in the 25-15 third-set loss.
Pepperdine wraps up its stint at the Sun Devil Classic in Tempe, Ariz. with a 2 p.m. match against Milwaukee on Saturday. All schedule updates can be found on the women's volleyball team's schedule page on pepperdinewaves.com
ABOUT PEPPERDINE WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Pepperdine women's volleyball has reached 26 NCAA Tournaments since 1981 as one of the most successful collegiate programs on the West Coast. The 12-time WCC Champions Waves have consistently produced top talent with 21 All-American selections with honorees in six straight decades. With multiple Olympians going through the program, Kim Hill brought home the program's first gold medal at the 2020 Olympic Games.
