COMPLETE PEPPERDINE RELEASE

GULF SHORES, Ala. -- In a tough finish, the #2-seeded Pepperdine beach volleyball team fell 3-2 to #5-seeded USC to close the 2018 season and the NCAA Beach Volleyball National Championships at Gulf Shores Public Beach on Saturday afternoon. The Waves finish the season 25-5 overall.

The match marks Head Coach Nina Matthies final career match. The amazing woman was, is and always will be a pioneer for this sport and a member of the Pepperdine family. She finishes her career on the beach with a 137-23 record, two AVCA National titles and appearances in every single collegiate beach volleyball national championship to date.

The match was tough from start to finish, as USC took three first sets and the Waves took three second sets. The first court to finish would be the top court, and the Trojans put the first point on the board.

Gigi Hernandez and Heidi Dyer followed on court three with a big 21-18, 21-14 win over Cammie Dorn and Joy Dennis to even the match. USC then picked up a win on five to pull ahead.

The lead wouldn't last long, however, as Madalyn Roh and Brook Bauer bested Terese Cannon and Sammy Slater 23-21, 21-16 to tie the match 2-2 and put all eyes on four as Skylar Caputo and Alexis Filippone entered the third set against Alexandra Poletto and Haley Hallgren.

After falling in the first set 21-18, Caputo and Filippone rallied with a solid 21-16 to force the third. After going point-for-point late in the set, the Trojans finished with a 15-12 win to advance to the next round and end Pepperdine's season.

NOTABLES

• Nina Matthies ends her career on the beach with a 137-25 record. She ends her 37-year career at Pepperdine with a 727-412 overall record from both indoor and beach volleyball. The Waves No. 4 pair Skylar Caputo and Alexis Filippone have the Waves' best record with a 27-3 output this season. This was the fifth time the Waves faced the Trojans and Pepperdine finishes the season with a 4-1 record against them.
• The Waves have a 21-5 record against ranked opponents and have gone 8-5 when facing teams ranked in the AVCA top-5.