Pepperdine University
21-5,13-2WCC
Denver
12-14,5-9WCC
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | 19 | 7 | 22 | 0 |
| Pepperdine | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
11/14/2026 3:41:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
MALIBU, Calif. - After dropping a heartbreaker on Thursday, the Pepperdine women's volleyball team (21-5, 13-2 WCC) responded with a sweep of the Denver Pioneers (12-14, 5-9 WCC) on Saturday afternoon.
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Mariia Nikol Dvornikova had a dozen kills to pace the Waves, as Irelynd Lorenzen had nine more and Chloe Pravednikov and Maggie Beauer tallied seven each. Charis Kai was dominant from behind the line, racking up four service aces. Iva Popovic stepped up on defense and had 12 digs, while Tristen Raymond added 27 more assists to reach 936 for the season.
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"Proud of our bounce-back and love exactly where we are at right now!!" said Wong.
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Things looked dire for Pepperdine in the early going. The Waves faced a 13-7 deficit and Wong took a timeout once Jamia Johnson buried a kill. Wong's decision proved to help stop momentum from flowing Denver's way, as Charis Kai tallied a service ace right away. Soon after, Pepperdine ripped off a 4-0 run with three consecutive kills from Pravednikov. Lily Van Hal tried to keep the Pioneers in it with a kill, but Lorenzen tied the set at 17 following a kill. From there, the blue and orange finished off Denver with another 4-0 run, taking the frame 25-19 behind a trio of Dvornikova kills.
The Waves kept rolling right out of the gates, opening set two with a 5-0 lead. Lorenzen rose to the occasion with a block as the cherry on top in the early run. A kill from Johnson helped get Denver on the board, but the Waves responded with a 4-0 thanks to kills from Lorenzen and Piskorz, and Pepperdine soon led 9-2. It was all Waves in the stanza, as a 9-0 spurt catapulted Pepperdine to an 18-4 lead. The blue and orange left no doubt on the second set drumming, getting a pair of Pravednikov kills down the stretch in a 25-7 victory. From the time they were down 13-7 in the first set, to the end of the second set, Pepperdine went on a 43-13 run. The Waves had a team hitting percentage hovering near .380 through the first two sets.Claire getting her strength workout in this afternoon 💪😃 #MakeWaves | @PepperdineWaves https://t.co/vLb397Ditu
— Pepperdine Women's Volleyball (@PepperdineWVB) November 14, 2026
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Denver gave Pepperdine more of a headache in a back-and-forth third set. A Pravednikov kill helped the Waves grab a 7-5 lead but the Pioneers answered with a 5-1 run, the only blemish being a service error from Elise Hart. Pepperdine kept battling and would trail by as much as three, two separate times. Down 16-13 with Denver lurking, Piskorz (block assist) and Lorenzen (two kills) stepped up to help the Waves retake the lead at 17-16. Both squads traded blows down the stretch, but three consecutive points ended the match. Piskorz and Pravednikov teamed up for kills before Popovic put the icing on the cake with an ace, and the Waves won in sweeping fashion, 3-0.
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GAME NOTES
- Pepperdine's dominance in the second set wasn't just offensively; the Waves held Denver to a -.208 hitting percentage.
- Pepperdine has racked up 26 blocks as a team across the last two matches.
- The Waves forced Denver into 19 attack errors while committing just nine.
The Waves have a bye next Thursday but will be back in action on Saturday, November 21st as Pepperdine welcomes LMU to Firestone Fieldhouse. With just three matches remaining, and LMU's four-set victory over San Diego on Saturday, the Waves sit 2.5 games up on USD and still trail LMU by one game for the top spot in the WCC standings. Purchase tickets here for the match against LMU.
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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.
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TICKETS
For more information on ticket packages and to purchase tickets for upcoming home events, visit here.
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FOLLOW
To stay up-to-date on the latest Pepperdine women's volleyball news, follow the Waves on social media: @PepperdineWVB on Twitter/X, @pepperdinewvb on Instagram, and Pepperdine Women's Volleyball on Facebook.
