ZACH ENGLUND
Sports Assistant
The Pepperdine women’s volleyball team played some of its best volleyball all season last week, gaining some much-needed momentum that will hopefully carry them through the rest of the season. Both Portland and Gonzaga were completely overwhelmed by the resurgent Waves, who brought their record back up to .500 (10-10).
Their first match took them to Portland to play their WCC rivals, a game that the Waves urgently needed to win.
With the Waves ahead, 8-6, in the first set, the Pilots went on a 4-0 run, forcing Head Coach Nina Matthies to call a timeout. After a short pep talk, Pepperdine came out on fire, scoring 12 of the next 16 points to retake the lead at 18-16. With only a one-point lead at 23-22, the Waves went on a 6-1 run to take the first set.
The second set was completely one-sided, with Pepperdine dominating in every facet of the game. Freshmen outside hitters Rachel Lumsden and Kayla Walker led the way for the Waves, combining for six kills in the set. Pepperdine scored on 17 of 19 serves by Portland, while holding the Pilots to a dismal hitting percentage of .024. Matthies said was very proud of the way her freshmen played, especially Walker.
“My young kids played really, really well,” she said. “Kayla couldn’t be stopped.”
Set three was a little closer than its predecessors, but the result was still the same. Leading 13-8, the Waves went on a 6-0 run, putting all the pressure on the home team to answer back. The Pilots responded by pulling within two at 18-16, but their last surge was not enough to avoid the sweep, as Pepperdine went on to win the set and the match (30-24, 30-18, 30-24).
The Waves’ next match took them to Spokane, Wash., where Gonzaga learned that Pepperdine was on a roll that was not about to be stopped.
After the Waves took an 11-7 lead in the first set, the Bulldogs went on a 7-2 run to take a 14-13 lead. Pepperdine then answered with an array of kills and points on serve to take a 26-18 advantage, leading to a 30-23 victory in the set.
The second game belonged solely to Julie Rubenstein and Sophia Milo, who combine for an impressive 14 kills coupled with no errors. After a series of favorable runs, the Waves gained a seven-point lead at 22-15, never allowing the Bulldogs any closer than five the rest of the way, winning the set, 30-21.
Pepperdine once again got off to a terrific start in the third set, going on a 7-0 run to give the Waves a 13-7 lead. Gonzaga made one final run near the end to pull them within two points at 26-24, but Pepperdine once again took control at the end and went on to get their second sweep in as many games.
After a successful road trip, the Waves return home feeling very good about themselves. Matthies said she hopes the team can sustain the momentum for much longer than just the weekend, as consistency has been the biggest problem for the Waves this season.
“Every time I think we get over the hump, we have a few glitches,” she said. “We’re playing so well that I’m hopeful that it finally comes to an end.”
Their next couple games are at home, starting with a pivotal match against nationally-ranked Santa Clara. Although a loss would not be the end of contention, Matthies wants to build a cushion so it’s not a worry later on in the season.
“If we don’t beat both these teams it’s not a breaker,” she said, “but if we lose it would put that much more pressure on the last two weeks of the season.”
Matthies thinks that if the Waves make the playoffs, then they will definitely be the team to beat.
“I think that we have the talent to be a top 10 team in the league,” she said. “If we make the tournament then we’ll be the team that nobody wants to face.”
11-02-2006