MALIBU, Calif. – In a Thursday night trip up the coast, No. 14 Concordia (10-12, 3-5 MPSF) challenged No. 7 Pepperdine (11-6, 5-3 MPSF) in Firestone Fieldhouse, ultimately falling to the Waves 25-15, 25-16, 25-23.
 
Raymond Barsemian produced offensively for the Eagles, collected 11 kills, hit .417 and served three aces. Chandler Gibb had a team-high five blocks while setting up his teammates to earn 24 assists. Concordia was able to hang with the Waves due to the backrow defense from Jacob Weiser who dug up 14 Pepperdine attacks.
 
The Waves offense detonated right away, going ahead 8-2 by way of six kills. Jonathan Predney and Hunter Howell each responded with kills to spark a 6-2 run for the Eagles to come within two at 10-8. Pepperdine stretched their lead using a 11-3 run that Barsemian ended with a kill while an Eagles triple block made the score 23-14. The Waves got to set point on a kill, but Darcy Taig fended off one set point with Pepperdine taking the next point to take the 1-0 lead.
 
Concordia used kills from Barsemian, Falduti and Howell to start the second set and the Waves responded with 12 points to take the lead. A Jonathan Carlson kill and double-block from Gibb and Howell earned the Eagles consecutive points while points by Barsemian and Taig brought CUI within five at 16-11. Pepperdine started to separate again, and Concordia responded with three straight points to cut the lead back to five. The Waves would take five of the next six points to clinch the second set over the Eagles.
 
CUI went into the third set with a slightly modified line-up by inserting Alec Krilis, Isaiah Kaaa and Carlson into the starting role which changed the momentum for the Eagles. Although the Waves got out to an 8-4 lead, tough serving by Carlson earned himself two aces that was part of a 4-0 Concordia run. A Pepperdine service error and two Barsemian kills gave the Eagles a lead at 12-11. The Waves would retake the lead, but Concordia would tie the set back up at 16-16 using a 4-1 run featuring back-to-back triple blocks from Carlson, Gibb and Howell. Down 22-18 and nearing a potential sweep for Pepperdine, Concordia fought their way back in the set to come within one after a block by Barsemian, Kaaa and Krilis on the Waves go-to hitter. Pepperdine was able to side-out and score the next two points and perched on match point, and Barsemian took initiative for the Eagles to terminating the next possible play and serving a serve short of a Pepperdine passer for an ace to make the score 24-23. A pop-up by Weiser on defense kept the Eagles in the rally with an unforced Concordia error finishing the set and ending the comeback.
 
Next Up: Concordia will take another road trip next week where they head to Arizona for a MPSF match with No. 13 Grand Canyon on March 23^rd and facing non-conference teams Benedictine and Ottawa.