By Lindsey Besecker
Assistant Sports Editor
The No. 5 Pepperdine women’s volleyball team extended its winning streak to 13 matches and improved its record to 15-2 during the past two weeks. The Waves will take their streak into this weekend with West Coast Conference home matches against University of San Diego and Santa Clara University.
“Both the teams are very good teams this weekend,” Head Coach Nina Matthies said. “It’s going to be a test for us.”
The Friday night match holds an opportunity for Matthies to collect her 400th career win — a milestone in any coaching career. However, Matthies said she is not focusing on her win, rather the team is focusing on the rest of conference play.
“Win, lose or draw, the bottom line is we need to get to where we need to be in the end,” Matthies said, referring to the end of conference and postseason play. “We just try to go match by match. Our goal is to go through (conference) 14-0.”
This past weekend, the Waves defeated Portland 3-0 — 30-18, 30-16, 30-18 — to give Matthies her 399th career win and to extend their winning streak to 13 matches. Sophomore setter Melissa Mehlhorn registered 41 set assists and 16 digs to help the Waves improve their conference record to 5-0.
“I thought it was a complete turn around from the night before,” Mehlhorn said. “I was really proud of our team. I thought we did really well.”
The night before, the Waves pulled out a close 3-2 win against Gonzaga University: 30-32, 30-17, 25-30, 30-28, 15-12. The trip to Spokane marked the first away match in a month for the team.
“We were lucky to get out of that match with a win,” Matthies said. “Just to travel and play in the same day, it makes a long day.”
The weekend before, the Waves defeated Loyola Marymount University in four games: 31-29, 30-17, 24-30, 30-20. Senior outside hitter Katie Wilkins had 28 kills in the match and sophomore outside hitter Katy Daly added 14 kills and 16 digs.
The Waves also defeated St. Mary’s in four games: 30-27, 30-28, 34-36, 30-27. Sophomore outside hitter Breegan Mulligan and Daly both had double-doubles.
Pepperdine took the match against San Francisco University the night before in four games: 30-14, 30-23, 26-30, 30-25. The loss was the first for San Francisco this season. Wilkins recorded 26 kills in the match and senior middle blocker Lyndsey Hache added 14 kills.
“I thought we did well,” Mehlhorn said. “We’ve just been trying to learn off each game and get better.”
Matthies encouraged the Pepperdine community to come to Firestone Fieldhouse on Sunday for the 1 p.m. match against Santa Clara. The athletics department is holding a pizza party starting at noon for people who come to the match and is also offering free T-shirts for the first 250 people. Throughout the match, special promotions will be handed out to spectators, including Southwest Airlines tickets and complimentary passes from 24 Hour Fitness.
“I think it’s really good because it’s on TV,” Mehlhorn said. “It will help create awareness for people to come out.”
October 23, 2003