Pepperdine Men’s Volleyball celebrate a point at the net against the UC Merced Bobcats on March 21 at Firestone Fieldhouse. The Waves maintained control throughout the match en route to a straight-set victory. Photos courtesy of Pepperdine Athletics
No. 6 Pepperdine Men’s Volleyball swept the UC Merced Bobcats 3-0 in a dominant conference matchup March 21 at Firestone Fieldhouse.
Pepperdine controlled the match from start to finish, opening with a 25-15 first set victory. Senior outside hitter Ryan Barnett and sophomore outside hitter Aidan Tune each recorded five kills in the set.
The Waves delivered their most dominant performance in the second set, winning 25-10 without surrendering a lead. Junior outside hitter Matt Mazur led the offense with five kills, helping Pepperdine hit .688 as a team.
“Our offense worked well as we were able to stick to what we wanted to do and spread the ball to everyone,” said Cole Hartke sophomore outside hitter/opposite. “We were able to play our game.”
A strong service run helped the Waves maintain full control throughout the set, while contributions across the roster highlighted the team’s depth.
“Something that showed up for us tonight was depth and the ability for guys to come off the bench and make a change,” Hartke said. “We were able to get a lot of different guys playing and it made it fun to be able to support everyone.”
The Waves huddle and celebrate against the UC Merced Bobcats on March 21 at Firestone Fieldhouse. The team’s energy and depth were on display in the Senior Day sweep.
Pepperdine closed out the match in the third set, winning 25-17. The Bobcats posted their strongest offensive showing of the night with .304 hitting, but Tune led the Waves with six kills in the set to secure the sweep.
Junior setter Ryan Graves tallied two service aces to go along with two blocks. Redshirt freshman outside hitter Vincent Coello sealed the match with the first ace of his collegiate career.
Tune finished with a team-high 13 kills, while Mazur continued his efficient play, hitting .750 with no errors. The Waves recorded 10 service aces, six total blocks and a season-best .603 hitting percentage, holding UC Merced to just .197.
Senior libero Jacob Reilly anchored the back row with 12 error-free receptions.
Pepperdine’s energy remained consistent throughout the match, fueled by both its bench and the Senior Day atmosphere.
“The biggest thing that helped with the energy throughout the night was being able to support everyone and see some different guys succeed than normal,” Hartke said. “It was a great team win.”
With the win, Pepperdine improves to 15-4 overall and remains undefeated in conference play at 6-0. The Waves will travel to Provo, Utah for a two-match series against the BYU Cougars Men’s Volleyball on March 27 and 28 at 6 p.m.
“This win helps us build confidence in each other, in our abilities and trust ourselves down the road as we head towards some challenging conference matches,” Hartke said.
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Email Grace Boktor: grace.boktor@pepperdine.edu