California Baptist University
Pepperdine
Out Of The Blocks
2/23/2014 3:51:00 AM | Men's Volleyball
MALIBU, Calif. --- Going up against the top blocking team in the nation, a 16-5 team blocking ratio isn't surprising, except when its the underdog holding the advantage. California Baptist University had its timing down against No. 4-ranked Pepperdine's attacks, but couldn't avert the Waves' comeback attempt and dropped the match 3-1 (14-25, 25-20, 27-25, 25-17).
The Lancers fall to 3-10 overall, 2-9 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, while Pepperdine improves to 8-3 on the season and in conference.
Johannes Brink led CBU with a match-high 24 kills, ending the night with a .525 attacking percentage by committing just three errors on the night.
"Johannes really stepped up well tonight for us," said head coach Wes Schneider. "We really came together well and fought well."
Jackson Burge and Amir Lugo-Rodriguez followed with eight kills a piece, with Lugo-Rodriguez adding six block assists in the four sets.
The Lancers came out of the gate like a rocket, scoring the first point and never trailed in the first set. CBU boasted a .600 hitting clip in the frame, committing no errors in the 25-14 smashing.
Ahead by two at 10-8, CBU went on a 5-0 run, capped by a Lugo-Rodriguez kill to put the Waves in a deep hole. Pepperdine managed to grab one, but the Lancers put together another multi-point run off kills from Joel Blocksom and Brink, along with a block from Lugo-Rodriguez and Blocksom, to take a staggering 20-12 lead.
Pepperdine tried to put together an offense with a point at 21-14, but CBU would have none of that as it was the last time the home squad would score in the opening set. Lugo-Rodriguez laid down back-to-back kills and Burge added another to put the Lancers at set point. Pepperdine couldn't end the spree, committing a costly attack error to hand CBU the first set 25-14.
With the wake up call, Pepperdine came out in the second looking to turn things around but again found its attacking efforts thwarted by the Lancers off the blocks. Lugo-Rodriguez and Brink teamed up to deny an attempt to give CBU the first point.
The Waves came back from a four-point deficit at 12-8 to take their first lead at 13-12. CBU battled back to take a one-point advantage once more at 15-14, but Pepperdine was determined to stay in the match and evened the set at 18-18.
CBU surrendered a big run to allow Pepperdine to reach set-point at 24-19, but the Waves sent a serve too long to keep the Lancers in the set at 24-20. The Lancers couldn't take advantage of the gimme, dropping the second set 25-20.
The Lancers found themselves trailing in the third as Pepperdine had picked up some momentum, but came back to lead 9-8. Lugo-Rodriguez teamed up with two different teammates to extend CBU's lead to 11-8, but the Waves evened it back at 11-11.
Both teams tried to shake off their opponent, but neither could get a good grip on the lead, tied at 23-23 late in the set. Brink laid down a kill to give CBU the first chance at set point, but the score would tie twice more, at 24-24 and 25-25, before Pepperdine finished the set with a 27-25 win.
Desperate to keep the match going, CBU struggled in the fourth set and committed six attacking errors, while forcing just one for Pepperdine, to concede the set 25-17 and the match 3-1.
The Lancers get a few days to recover before facing another tough opponent in No. 8-ranked USC on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. in Van Dyne.
