Score: UC Davis 1, Pepperdine 3
Set Scores: (24-26, 25-22, 19-25, 21-25)
Location: Sacramento, Calif. (The Nest)
Records: UC Davis 0-1, Pepperdine 1-0
  
The short story: Jade Light opened her 2025 campaign with a 22-kill performance, but it wasn't enough as UC Davis volleyball lost its opener in four sets to the Pepperdine Waves.
 
FIRST SERVE

• Light led the offense with her 22 kills; this performance marked the sixth time she had 20+ kills in a match in her Aggie career.
• She also picked up 12 digs, giving her a double-double on the night.
• Mia Starr orchestrated the offense with a team-high 48 assists, 15 digs also gave her a double-double.
• Ally Chandler showed her versatility with 10 kills and three total blocks.
• Haden Bones led her squad with three service aces.

WHAT HEAD COACH DAN CONNERS HAD TO SAY

"I'm happy we came out aggressively.  We can definitely get better from there.  We just made too many attacking and serving errors tonight, and that's why we lost.  Defense was good, but we have space to grow there as well.  As this group gets more comfortable with each other, those mistakes will start to clean up."

 
HOW IT HAPPENED 

• The first set was a back-and-forth affair all throughout, with back-to-back kills from Light giving the team a 15-12 lead going into the first media timeout.
• As Pepperdine looked to storm back, blocks from Starr and Allie Caldwell put Davis up by as much as four.
• As the Waves went on a 6-0 run to take the lead, the Aggies used attack errors from their opponents to stay within striking distance.
• Kills from Light and Chandler tied things up at 24 apiece late, but Pepperdine would go on to take the first set 26-24.
• At the start of the second, the Ags kept up the pace from set one, using a kill from Breeze Czapinski to go up three, 10-7.
• But two 3-0 runs from their opponent kept things tight, with the set tied at 15 all.
• With the frame still tied 20-20, a 5-2 run from Davis featuring kills from Light and Chandler closed it out 25-22 and tied the match at one apiece.
• The offense of Light and Victoria Vanos carried the Aggies to a 13-13 tie halfway through the third.
• A few points later, the Waves began to heat up with a 6-0 scoring run that put them up by as much as four.
• A Caldwell kill looked to swing momentum, but Pepperdine took set three 25-19 and the match 2-1.
• Pepperdine started fast in the fourth, climbing to a 9-4 lead early.
• Led by Light's offense once again, the Aggies began to fight back, finding themselves down only two, 15-17, halfway through the set.
• After each team exchanged a 3-0 scoring run, Davis stayed within two, looking to take the set.
• However, the Waves offense closed things out by scoring four of the final six points, claiming the fourth 25-21 and winning the match.

UP NEXT: The Aggies will stay in Sacramento as they prepare to face Causeway rival Sac State on Saturday, Aug. 30 at 7:00 p.m. PT. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+.
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