Complete match notes (PDF)
San Francsico Volleyball (11-15, 7-9 WCC)
vs. Pepperdine (14-10, 8-8 WCC) | Thursday | Nov. 21 | 7 p.m.
vs. Loyola Marymount (14-12, 8-8 WCC | Saturday | Nov. 23 | 1 p.m.
Live Stats/Audio/Video: usfdons.com/LIVE
#WeAreSF
The University of San Francisco women's volleyball team seeks the first season sweep of Pepperdine in school history, after a hard-faught 3-2 win in Malibu in the opening weekend of conference play. Despite a series record that heavily favors the Waves, USF has reigned victorious in its last two outings against the traditional national powerhouse. The Dons are vying for the first sweep of Pepperdine in school history
To cap off the 2013 regular season, the Dons wecome Loyola Maryount to the Hilltop for Senior Day, as USF recognizes the contributions of Rebecca Kopilovitch, Mackenzie Murtagh, Whitney Swain and Malina Terrell.
Scouting the Dons
USF's Valentina Zaloznik is leading the way in a multitude of statistical categories. She is averaging a team-best hitting percentage of .339, which ranks fourth in the WCC. She has combined for 102 total blocks, or 0.97 per set, and has amassed a team-high 373.0 points on the season.
Also making their impact known, Katarina Pilepic, Malina Terrell and Anja Segota all stand at 200+ points on the season tally. Senior Mackenzie Murtagh leads USF in assists on the year, netting a total of 565, or 5.43 per set, to pace the Dons.
Kopilovitch averages 3.89 digs per set, fourth-best in the WCC. She stands in third on the USF career-digs list with 1,349 in three seasons on the court. The 2012 WCC Co-Defensive Player of the Year has notched 377 digs thus far in her final campaign to lead the Dons.
Potent Quotables
"I think finishing at home, finishing strong with two wins will be a tremendous accomplishment. I think our team has been playing hard, but we need to play smart and hard and focused at the same time in order to come up with wins. For us, two wins could possibly put us in fourth place in the WCC, so there's a lot to play for, and we want to show our fans some great volleyball." - Doron on the final weekend of 2013
Scouting the Waves
The waves are riding a three-match winning streak into the final weekend of the regular season. Pepperdine is led by the current WCC Player of the Week, Becca Strehlow who recorded a 49-assist, 13-dig, 10-block trible-double in their home finale. The Waves are sending off long-time head coach Nina Matthies, who is stepping down from the indoor program to focus her attention to the national-champion sand volleyball team.
"I think Nina has been an icon in women's volleyball," Doron noted. " She is in a class of her own and has done so much to indoor volleybal,l and now she's taking the direction of helping sand volleyball grow in the NCAA and the U.S. She's been a pioneer and a leader of the sport, and I wish her the best of luck. She's set a good standard that we all want to follow."
Scouting the Lions
Offensively, Loyola Marymount is led by Kathleen Luft's 3.95 kills per set, and Litara Keil is close behind, averaging 3.51 per set. Betsi Metter tops the WCC in digs (4.84) and aces (0.53) per set. The Lions have been solid in the back half of the season, riding a 6-3 record after opening conference play with a 3-5 mark.
Academic Accolades
The Dons placed a pair of women on the WCC All-Academic squad, announced Nov. 20.
Rebecca Kopilovitch and Valentina Zaloznik both made the list for the second-consecutive season, making academic success a priority that is hand in hand with athletic success as two of the Dons' leaders on the court.
Kopilovitch, a senior from Israel, maintains a stellar 3.94 grade-point average in economics, while Zaloznik, a junior from Ljubno ob Savinji, Slovenia, made the list with her 3.80 gpa in business administration. Kopilovitch was also honored earlier this season as a CoSIDA Academic All-District performer.
Broadcast Information
Livestats are available for all home matches at usfdons.com/LIVE. Smartphone users can also access stats at usfstats.com.
Charles Wollin, voice of USF men's and women's soccer, will have the call courtside for USF's finals weekend at War Memorial Gym - the free video broadcast, courtesy of Stretch Internet, can be seen and heard at usfdons.com/LIVE.
Get Connected
Fans can keep up on the latest in USF Athletics in a variety of ways.
Follow USF Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @ DonsAthletics
Follow USF volleyball on Facebook at www.facebook.com/University.of.SanFrancisco.Volleyball
Check out video of the Dons in action at www.youtube.com/usfdonsathletics
