Pepperdine Women’s Indoor Volleyball celebrates together after a point against University of the Pacific. The Waves swept the University of San Francisco 3-0 at Firestone Fieldhouse on Oct. 22. Photos by Guinevere Hesse
Pepperdine Women’s Indoor Volleyball swept the University of San Francisco in three sets at Firestone Fieldhouse on Oct. 22 during Block Out Cancer Night. The win marked the Waves’ fourth consecutive victory and improved their West Coast Conference (WCC) record to 7-1 and overall record to 15-4.
“We did a great job, we served tough and we focused on our game and that saved us, but they were pushing us,” freshman outside hitter Mariia Nikol Dvornikova said.
Dvornikova led Pepperdine with nine kills, while junior outside hitter Chloe Pravednikov and junior middle blocker Ella Piskorz contributed eight kills each.
Pravednikov said Pepperdine’s ability to stay calm, composed and communicate with one another helped the team stay in control and dominate the matches in straight sets.
“I feel like we really try to put in time to hang out with each other, whether it’s just around school or getting food,” said Pravednikov. “I feel like it’s really correlating on the court.”
Pepperdine Women’s Indoor Volleyball gathers in a huddle during a set against the University of the Pacific. The Waves continued to build momentum in conference play with a strong defensive performance, recording 12 blocks against the University of San Francisco at Firestone Fieldhouse on Oct. 22.
The connection was notably important when San Francisco began applying pressure. Rather than allowing the Dons to interrupt their rhythm, the Waves focused on their game plan and made adjustments that allowed them to come out on top.
Head Coach Scott Wong said the team’s ability to remain committed to its style of play helped direct the more competitive moments.
“I thought we did a nice job overall just kind of keeping our game plan,” Wong said. “Just playing our tough style of volleyball.”
Pepperdine opened the first set with a dominant 6-0 run, powered by three kills from Pravednikov. With service by Laine Briggs, senior defensive specialist and libero, the Waves started a four-point run, with junior outside hitter Maggie Beauer contributing one kill during the stretch. Ryan Gilhooly, sophomore outside hitter and libero, sealed the set with a service ace.
The run helped Pepperdine extend its lead to 18-9. Pepperdine finished the set with a 25-13 victory, recording 16 kills and hitting .500.
The Waves maintained their offensive effectiveness while using their dominant defensive blocking skill to limit the Dons’ chances of scoring.
However, the second set presented a different challenge. Forcing the Waves to work harder and maintain the lead, the Dons did not put up an easy fight.
San Francisco briefly took control, earning a 10-9 lead after kills from junior middle blocker Andjela Sojic, freshman outside hitter Katariina Korhonen and senior middle blocker Maeve Bailey. Although Briggs’ service ace helped Pepperdine regain a 12-10 advantage, the Dons responded with five consecutive points to lead 14-12. The Waves then answered with two consecutive service aces.
The intensity increased as the teams exchanged momentum, but the Waves ultimately secured the set with a score of 25-18.
“There are a few moments that USF put some pressure on us,” Wong said. “And I thought we came together and talked about some changes and then they did them.”
The ability to respond and take on the challenge carried into the third set when the Waves took complete control of the match. Pepperdine defeated San Francisco 25-12 in the third set, using aggressive serving and strong blocking to wipe the Dons’ chances of building momentum.
The Waves recorded a total of nine blocks for the night and created several opportunities for their offense.
Pepperdine middle blocker Ella Piskorz (No. 18, left) and setter Tristen Raymond (No. 9, right) jump together at the net to block an attack from the University of the Pacific. Piskorz recorded eight kills and two service aces, while Raymond added a service ace during the Waves’ performance against San Francisco on Oct. 22.
Pravednikov said the team’s energy made a difference in helping maintain the Waves’ momentum throughout the match.
“Our bench has been doing a really great job on giving us energy on the floor,” Pravednikov said. “We can feel them supporting us the whole time.”
The Waves also benefited from moving the ball more effectively as the match progressed, making their offense more difficult to defend.
“Set two, we just started distributing the ball a little bit more all around and offensively,” Wong said.”We were tough to stop.”
Despite the straight-set victory, Wong said the team must continue developing its maturity and consistency, particularly when the Waves hold a lead.
“How do we approach everything with maturity? How do we, when we’re playing well, keep the focus?” Wong said.
The Waves defeated Santa Clara University in four sets (25-22, 25-23, 26-28, 25-22) at Firestone Fieldhouse on Oct. 24 during the team’s Western Waves match, continuing their win streak to five.
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Contact Melodi Mendez via email: melodi.mendez@pepperdine.edu