MORAGA, Calif. – Saint Mary’s College of California women’s volleyball team battled hard but fell 3-1 to the Pepperdine Waves in a West Coast Conference match on November 5, 2026. The closely contested match concluded with set scores of 25-22, 26-28, 27-25, and 25-18 in favor of Pepperdine.
The Gaels led at various points in all four sets and exceeded their season averages in kills, digs, and blocks per set, demonstrating their competitiveness against a top-ranked conference opponent. Outside hitters Antonie Kelnarova and Layne Dent each tallied 15 kills. Kelnarova also recorded 11 digs and 3 aces, achieving her 10th double-double of the season and bringing her total aces to 55, just one shy of the West Coast Conference rally scoring era single-season record.
Saint Mary’s compiled a team total of 50 kills, 50 digs, and 10 blocks, marking only the third time in the season they reached these numbers and their first time doing so in a four-set match. Mackenzie Jackson contributed 11 kills while hitting .269 in the final set. Defensively, Alayna Pearson led with 16 digs—the most since the season opener—and middle blocker Ava Galvan recorded five solo blocks, an achievement reached by only seven other players in program history.
Saint Mary’s will next host the LMU Lions on November 7, 2026, at 2 p.m. in Moraga, looking to build on their performance against Pepperdine and remain competitive in the conference race.
CSB Take
Saint Mary’s College of California women’s volleyball evidenced its ability to compete with the top teams in the West Coast Conference by pushing Pepperdine to a tightly contested four-set match. Antonie Kelnarova’s near-record setting ace season and her consistent double-double contributions are central to the Gaels’ success. The team’s balance of strong offensive output and defensive effort gives them a foundation to pursue significant wins as the season progresses. Maintaining this level of play will be key during upcoming crucial conference matchups.
Source: Original report
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