SAN FRANCISCO — It was another closely contested match Thursday for the University of San Francisco volleyball team, as a 14-3 run by host Pepperdine turned the tide of the entire match, with the Waves grabbing a 3-1 (25-18, 21-25, 25-17, 25-17) West Coast Conference opening victory at Firestone Fieldhouse.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• San Francisco (4-8, 0-1 WCC) dropped the first set Thursday, but bounced back with a 11-2 run in the second to come from behind and even things at 1-1. The Dons scored six points in a row while trailing 8-6, thanks in part to five Pepperdine (5-7, 1-0 WCC) attack errors, two via blocks from Orsula Staka. They would score five more consecutive points with kills from Staka and McKenna Marshall, playing in her first match of 2019. That put the Dons up 17-10 and they didn't trail again in that second set.
   
• USF looked to be rolling that same momentum into the third set and was aiming for a possible 2-1 match lead on the road, but that's when the Waves stepped up. San Francisco led the third, 14-11, thanks to a 5-1 run that featured three kills from Marshall. But three consecutive service aces from Hannah Frohling and kills from Isabel Zelaya and Shannon Scully were part of a 6-0 run that flipped the score to 17-14 Waves. Pepperdine powered to a third set, 25-17, victory with 14 points of the last 17 points. The only three USF points came via service errors from the Waves.
   
• With momentum firmly on their side, the Waves never trailed in the fourth. San Francisco was still within three at 12-9, but Pepperdine scored four consecutive points to turn it into a seven-point lead at 16-9. Pepperdine hit an outstanding .522 as a team in the fourth set with only three errors.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 6: Staka has set season highs in blocks for two matches in a row now, posting five on Saturday versus UC Davis, then tallying a season-high six Thursday at Pepperdine. She also had a season-high six kills against the Waves.
• 10: Marshall tallied 10 kills in her first match of 2019, one of two Dons with double-digit kills Thursday (Emily Zinger). She hit a team-best .381 and narrowly missed out on a double-double with eight digs.
• 16: Grace Talpash was back to her setting duties Thursday, splitting time with Ally Wada (24 assists) and tallying 16 assists to combine for 40 helpers with her partner in crime. She also had a season-high seven digs.

COMING UP

• San Francisco wraps up its five-match road trip Saturday with its second WCC match of the season, this one at 1 p.m. at Loyola Marymount. Fans can find all live coverage links at USFDons.com.