SAN FRANCISCO – The San Francisco volleyball team couldn't overcome adjustments to the lineup as Pepperdine defeated the Dons 3-1 Thursday night at War Memorial Gym.

The Waves earned the season split with USF and improve to 10-16 (5-9 West Coast Conference) on the year. The Dons now stand at 12-15 (5-10 WCC) heading into the final three matches of the 2014 campaign.

The Dons were paced by senior Valentina Zaloznik's well-rounded outing as she finished with 13 kills on .344 hitting, 18 digs and seven blocks. Freshman Jessica Gaffney posted a team-high 15 kills to go along with 10 digs in her first career double-double. Jessica Keenan, making her first career start at libero, finished with 10 digs on the night.

Despite hitting just .215 as a team, compared to Pepperdine's tally of .335, the Dons hung tough for much of the match, due in part to 10 Waves service errors and nine total blocks for USF. Pepperdine finished with four women reaching double-digit kill totals, led by a match-high 19 kills from Katie Messing.
The night was a battle from the outset, as the first set featured 11 ties and two lead changes. After Becca Strehlow's second touch attack put the score at 6-3 in favor of the Waves, the Dons charged back with four unanswered points capped by Anja Segota's solo stuff of Samantha Cash. USF extended the lead to 13-10 when Gaffney's well-placed ball fell in just inside the back line for the point.

Pepperdine rallied to knot the frame a handful of times but could never edge in front. With the score tied at 23-all, Oluoma Okaro's kill gave the Dons their first chance at set point, but Messing responded with the point. Gaffney's cross court kill again pushed the frame to set point, sent Jurja Vlasic to the service line. Playing in her first match since Oct. 9, Vlasic served up the ace to give USF the 26-24 win.

The Dons raced out to an early 4-1 lead in the second set and clung to the 13-11 advantage after a floater off the hand of Zaloznik found the floor. However, the Waves would go on to score the next six points to take the lead, and the visitors closed out the set 25-16 to tie the match heading into halftime.

USF again opened the third frame with the advantage, building up a 15-12 lead midway through the set. But Pepperdine would again claw back to tie it at 18-all after Messing's ace. Zaloznik's kill off the assist from Kiara McKibben deadlocked the score at 22-22, but the Waves finished off the set with a final tally of 25-23 to nab the lead.

By the fourth set, the Dons ran out of steam and could only manage .040 hitting as Pepperdine surged to close the match. Early in the action, the Dons and Waves were tied at three after solid defense off a short serve led to a kill for Sara Staengle. The score was again knotted at 6-6 after Zaloznik's pwered a kill down the line. But the Waves would use a strong surge mid-frame to break open the match, eventually taking the fourth 25-16 to leave the gym with the victory.

For the Dons, home court has been a true advantage in 2014 as Pepperdine is just the third team to win at War Memorial Gym. Next up, the Dons meet up with Loyola Marymount, welcoming the Lions to the Hilltop Saturday at 1 p.m.