Match Stats
- •#5 Pepperdine def. #2 McMaster 3-2, (25-13, 24-26, 25-20, 18-25, 15-12
- Pepperdine remains (1-0), McMasters remains at (6-0)
- Exhibition match
- Hosted by Pepperdine
- Attendance: 350
In an exhibition match that didn’t count against either teams records, #5 Pepperdine prevails over #2 McMaster in a five set battle.
Tying his career-best was David Wieczorek with 20 kills, also adding 10 digs for a double-double. Each Colby Harriman and Alex Harthaller added 12 kills and five digs. Setter Soren Dion-Kindem dished out 37 assists, nine digs and five blocks.
For McMaster, the #2 ranked team out of Canada, Brandon Koppers put down 16 kills. Jayson McCarthy added 12 kills and seven digs, while Danny Demyanenko contributed 10 kills, four blocks and two aces.
Press Release
Courtesy of Pepperdine Athletics
The No. 5-ranked Pepperdine men’s volleyball team prevailed after a tough five-set brawl with No. 2 (Canada rankings) McMaster, finishing the exhibition bout this Thursday afternoon in Firestone Fieldhouse with 25-13, 24-26, 25-20, 18-25 and 15-12 set wins.
The Waves remain 1-0 on the season, with a separate 1-0 record against exhibition opponents. The Marauders will stay 6-0 heading into the rest of the team’s season as well. The Waves hit for a .205 hitting percentage as a team with 50 kills, compared to the .139 the opposition put out on top of 46 kills. Pepperdine also picked up eight aces and 12.5 team blocks compared to McMaster’s six aces and 11.0 blocks as a team.
Redshirt-sophomore David Wieczorek (Chicago, Ill./Loyola Academy) had another banner night, tying his career-best 20-kill performance on top of a .289 hitting percentage. He added an ace, 10 digs for his second career double-double and three blocks. He was also good for 31 successful service receptions for the Waves.
Also in double-figure kills were juniors Alex Harthaller (Innsbruck, Austria/Akademischeg Gymnasium/IPFW) and Colby Harriman (Rochester, N.Y./McQuaid Jesuit HS), who each tabbed 12 apiece. Harthaller was also good for three aces, five digs, four blocks and 21 solid service receptions, while Harriman posted a .250 hitting percentage, two aces, five digs and two blocks as well.
Sophomore Max Chamberlain (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs HS) led the team with six blocks and added three kills and two aces. Senior Soren Dion-Kindem (Agoura, Calif./Agoura HS) dished out 37 assists and added nine digs and five blocks including one solo rejection. Redshirt junior Owen Yoshimoto (Ventura, Calif./Adolfo Camarillo HS/Santa Barbara CC) added eight digs, six assists and 18 serve receptions, while junior Clay Carr (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor HS) added three kills and four blocks.
In the first set, the Waves came out looking to make a big impact over the Marauders, and did just that. After going head-to-head to the 7-6 mark, the Waves let loose, collecting a 7-2 run with Wieczorek, Harriman and Harthaller kills to pull ahead. The opposition scattered a few points throughout the rest of the set, but a solid service output, including two aces from Harthaller and one from Harriman shut McMaster down with a 25-13 set score.
With a Waves’ advantage heading into the second set, the Marauders came out heavy-handed, amassing a 5-1 lead early and building throughout to a 16-12 advantage. Pepperdine was not quick to roll over, however, and returned the effort to tie the set at the 17-17 mark late in the set. Another Harthaller ace, followed by kills from Carr and Harriman that put the Waves up 21-18. The opposition was tough, though, and after two set-point opportunities, took the set 26-24 to tie the match.
The Marauders worked ahead early in the third set, but Pepperdine was able to overcome after a 6-6 tie and with an 8-2 run, put the opposition down 14-8. Back-to-back block collaborations by Harthaller and Carr, followed Carr and Harriman helped pull the Waves ahead. McMaster was in the set throughout, however, and battled back within one after an ace at the 19-18 mark. A Harriman smash, followed back consecutive kills from Wieczorek and Pepperdine collected a 25-20 victory to go up 2-1 on the afternoon.
McMaster had the edge early in the fourth set and worked it to a 6-2 advantage. The Waves rolled back into things on kills from Wieczorek and Chamberlain to tie the set 10-10. After picking up the lead again late in the set, the opposition continued on to a 25-18 win to tie the match 2-2.
The fifth set was an all-out brawl on both sides, with the Waves and Marauders fighting for the exhibition bragging rights. After going point-for-point en route to an 8-8 tie, the Waves pulled ahead. Fueled by kills from Wieczorek and Harriman, the home team built a 12-10 lead. The opposition then tied the set, but errors from McMaster’s side and a final blow from Chamberlain earned Pepperdine a 15-12 set win and another five-set victory.
**Note — As the match is exhibition, none of the stats or career-best performances will stand after the weekend.
The Waves will play McMaster, the No. 2-ranked team in Canada’s national rankings, again tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 6. The match, to be played in Firestone Fieldhouse, will begin at 7 p.m.
Follow Pepperdine @PeppVolleyball on Twitter and Facebook for immediate updates and head to PepperdineWaves.com for recaps, results and more.
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