Colorado State University Athletics
Rams fall to Pepperdine in Asics Classic opener
9/5/2008 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 5, 2008
By John Manuszak
Athletic Media Relations
CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Pepperdine Waves dropped the first set of the match but responded by capturing the final three sets as they posted a 3-1 win (19-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-20) over the Colorado State Rams in the opening match of the Asics Classic Friday night. The loss was the first on the young season for the Rams, who fell to 3-1.
The Rams were strong early as they took the opening set in impressive fashion but after that, it was all Waves.
“Pepperdine got better as the match went on and we did not,” said Rams Head Coach Tom Hilbert. “We did some things well but we did some things poorly and that cost us.”
The Rams jumped out of the gate early and did not trail in the first set as they posted a 25-19 win in the opening frame. CSU took a 12-9 lead before Pepperdine rallied to tie the game at 12. Then the Rams, sparked by back-to-back blocks by Tessa Nelson, made their charge. With the game tied at 15, CSU ran off seven straight points en route to the opening set win.
From then on out, the Waves took over the middle of the floor and forced the Rams to hit from the outside.
“Pepperdine did a good job against our middles,” Hilbert said. “We couldn’t get it going in the middle so it put a lot of pressure on Jaime and Jacque on the outside.”
In the loss, the Rams were led by Jaime Strauss and Jacque Davisson as well as setter Ashley Fornstrom. Strauss posted a season-high 15 kills to lead the Rams while Davisson put up her career high in kills with 11. Fornstrom just missed a double-double as she tallied 36 assists and nine digs. Senior Mekana Barnes was solid for the Rams as she tallied eight kills and eight blocks.
In the second set, the Rams once again started off strong but Pepperdine returned the favor as the Waves used a 7-0 run to push a 14-14 game to a 21-14 Pepperdine lead. The Rams made a late charge in the set and got within three points at 23-20 but they couldn’t climb all the way back and dropped the second set, 25-21.
The Waves took control of the match for good after they posted a 25-22 win in the third set. The hard-fought set featured 13 ties and six lead changes with the Waves using a 3-1 run late in the set to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
Pepperdine closed out the Rams in the final set behind a 6-1 run that gave the Waves a 23-18 lead.
The Waves were led by Rachel Lumsden (17 kills on .364 hitting) and Julie Rubenstein (15 kills on .190 hitting), who combined for 32 kills. Lumsden, Frederick Lilla and Krista Friedman led the Waves defensively as they all tallied double figures in digs.
Colorado State will continue action in the Asics Classic Saturday as it will face host Oregon State, at 8 p.m. MT. The Rams and Beavers met just a year ago as the two teams opened their respective seasons against each other at the Asics Invitational in Hawaii.
