Anela Holck / Assistant Photo Editor
GARRETT WAIT
Sports Editor
It’s been an up-and-down year for the Pepperdine women’s volleyball team. Unfortunately, the down side was in full effect this past week as the Waves were swept by the University of Southern California on Saturday and Long Beach State University on Tuesday.
Against USC, Pepperdine never could make a strong move, losing the three-set match 24-30, 25-30, 26-30. Middle blockers Sophia Milo and Lecca Roberts led the Waves, notching more than half of the team’s 45 kills in the match. Milo had 13 kills to Roberts’ 10.
Freshman outside hitter Julie Rubenstein had her worst college game as the No.-12 Trojans held her to just eight kills and nine errors in the game. Meanwhile, USC’s Bibiana Candelas picked the Waves apart with 23 kills.
Milo, a junior, said the team didn’t work well together during the week, leading to their 0-2 showing against their Southern California rivals.
“I think what we’ve been lacking this past week is team chemistry,” Milo said. “When one part of our game is on, another part is off. We can’t seem to quite get it all going to the full potential at the same time.”
Against Long Beach, the Waves’ middle blockers again led the way, but the efforts of Milo and Roberts weren’t enough as Pepperdine fell 24-30, 24-30, 28-30.
Both of the Waves’ middle blockers came up with 11 kills and five blocks apiece. Rubenstein was next with nine kills in the match. Senior setter Melissa Mehlhorn had 38 assists in the loss while leading the Waves with a .444 hitting percentage.
Long Beach had three hitters rack up double figures in kills, with Ali Daley tallying 15 to lead all players. As a team, Long Beach’s hitting percentage was more than 100 points better than Pepperdine’s, .286 to .168.
The 3-5 start for the Waves is eerily reminiscent of Pepperdine’s start last season, in which the team went from a preseason top-25 ranking to under-.500 very quickly. Last season, the team finished 10-15 and out of contention for the West Coast Conference title.
Milo said the past season’s memories don’t motivate the team as much as everybody’s disdain for losing.
“I try not to think about last season,” Milo said.” Not only does everyone hate to lose and feel that way, but we are a different team this year with new players on the court who are making a big impact for us.
“Our team leadership and chemistry is different this year,” she continued. “So we have to start anew and know that we can’t look back but look ahead to what we have coming up these next few months.”
Milo said the team has the ability to turn this season around and come into the conference season with a different outlook.
“We definitely have the potential to turn everything around,” Milo said. “We can come out of this upcoming weekend with four wins, making our record 7-5, and then go into the season with confidence and start winning and working our way to the conference title.”
The WCC Championship, which the Waves won in 2003, is always near the top of the team’s list of goals. This year, however, Milo said Pepperdine is eager to bounce back to prove that it’s still the team to beat in the WCC.
“The conference title is always a goal,” Milo said. “But after last year and watching it slip away from us, we’re more determined to be a completely different team this year and really go after it.”
The Waves have a chance to take a step in the right direction over the weekend as they travel to Philadelphia for a tournament before beginning their regular season at home.
Pepperdine plays Towson University and the University of Pennsylvania on Friday, two teams the Waves should have no trouble with, according to Milo. Then on Saturday, Pepperdine takes on St. Francis University and Canisius University.
Milo said the team can gain a lot of confidence as well as some victories over the weekend in preparation for their first WCC match, against University of San Diego at Firestone Fieldhouse on Sept. 30.
“This weekend should be a good weekend for us,” Milo said. “We should come out with some wins. It will also be a good chance to work on some things, change some things up, and figure out what six or seven on the floor have the best chemistry and will put wins up on the scoreboard for us.”
09-22-2005
