STOCKTON/MALIBU, Calif. – Boasting a five-match winning streak, the University of San Francisco volleyball team (8-6, 2-0) hits the road to face Pacific (8-5, 0-1) at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 28 at the Alex G. Spanos Center followed by a midday matchup against Pepperdine (6-6, 2-0) at noon on Saturday, Sept. 30 at Firestone Fieldhouse. 

MATCH 15 INFORMATION:
Date: Thursday, Sept. 28
Time: 6 p.m.
Opponent: Pacific
Location: Stockton, Calif. / Alex G. Spanos Center
Watch: ESPN+
Live Statistics: SIDEARM

MATCH 16 INFORMATION:
Date: Saturday, Sept. 30
Time: Noon
Opponent: Pepperdine
Location: Malibu, Calif. / Firestone Fieldhouse
Watch: ESPN+
Live Statistics: StatBroadcast

DONS AT A GLANCE:

• San Francisco opened conference play last week, defeating Gonzaga and Portland, capping off its most recent homestand with five straight wins. 
• As a team, San Francisco leads the WCC standings in total kills with 682 and digs with 831. Abby Wadas, recording a conference-leading total of 218 digs, has been a defensive key for the Dons through 14 matches this season.
• After tallying a season-high 19 kills against Portland in a 3-1 win over Portland last Saturday, Karolina Nova earned WCC Offensive Player of the Week. Nova ranks second on the team and fourth in the conference for total kills with 125. 

SCOUTING THE TIGERS:

• In its lone conference match last week, Pacific dropped a three-set decision at Pepperdine on Thursday, Sept. 21. In 13 matches, the Tigers lead the conference in assists per set with an average of 12.83 and in digs per set at 15.26.
• Leading the team and ranking third in the WCC in kills, Biamba Kabengele has accumulated 172 while recording 18 against the Waves. 
• Alexa Edwards ranks sixth in the conference with 142 kills and recorded 26 in the last two matches against Sacramento State and Pepperdine. 
• On the defensive of the ball, Megan Nishimura has been dominant, recording 4.19 digs per set and ranks second in total digs with 197.

SCOUTING THE WAVES:

• Tied for first in the conference and holding a five-match winning streak, Pepperdine begins the week at Saint Mary's before facing San Francisco in Malibu on Saturday.
• In their most recent matchup against LMU, the Waves won 3-1 and had three players reach double-figures in kills. Grace Chillingworth led the Waves with a team-high 15 kills while accumulating 144 on the season.  
• Isabel Zelaya has been a key in the Waves' offense as she has 407 assists, good for fourth in the conference, and is averaging 9.57 assists per set.

SERIES HISTORY

• Since 2003, San Francisco has trailed Pacific in the overall series history with five wins to 18 losses. The last time they played in Stockton, the Dons earned a five-set win last season on Oct. 22, 2022.
• Dating back to the 2002 season, Pepperdine holds a 35-7 record over San Francisco. The two programs split the two meetings a season ago, with the Dons earning a five-set win on the road on Oct. 29, 2022. 

TRACK THE ACTION:
San Francisco conference matches will be broadcasted on ESPN+ at game time. Live streaming and live statistics links are available above and via the team's schedule page.
 
FOLLOW US:
For more information and updates on the University of San Francisco volleyball program, be sure to follow the Dons on Twitter @USFDonsVB, @USFDonsVB on Instagram and @USFDonsVball on Facebook.

MERCHANDISE:
Want to dress like the Dons? Get your official San Francisco Dons gear from the University of San Francisco bookstore today! Click here to purchase.
 
SPONSOR THE DONS:
The University of San Francisco Athletics Department would like to acknowledge and thank our primary sponsor - Nike - for their continued support of USF Athletics. Interested in sponsoring the Dons? Please contact Frank Allocco, the Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director of External Relations, at fallocco@usfca.edu or at (415) 422-4561.