Waves Relax Matthies, for Once

MALIBU —  Nina Matthies is entering her 14th season as Pepperdine women’s volleyball coach and this time of year she’s usually stressing out over a starting lineup.

Not this season.

Matthies is extremely relaxed about the Waves, who play host to UC Irvine in their opener Tuesday night.

The Waves lost only one player from a team that was 24-11 last season and placed second in the West Coast Conference, and five starters have played together three years.

Situations like these don’t come around often for the Waves and Matthies is enjoying every minute of it.

“I’m breathing easy,” Matthies said. “It’s so nice not to have to start over with a group, you know, at zero.”

Pepperdine is led by All-WCC setter Becci Roehl, who had 1,621 assists and 261 digs as a sophomore last season. Although she is only 5 feet 7, Roehl, who walked on as a freshman but has since earned a scholarship, had 28 blocks.

“When she first came here I didn’t even think she could play in college,” Matthies said. “She was too small and didn’t have the strength. But she worked really hard and developed into a dynamic setter.”

Roehl has options because the team is well stocked with solid and experienced hitters.

Juniors Nicole Sanderson and Kim Ward, senior Ann Windes and sophomore Kymme Vicknair should make the biggest impact.

Sanderson (6 feet) made All-WCC second team last season and led the Waves with 615 kills, 293 digs and 120 blocks. Ward (6 feet) had 229 kills and 154 digs, and Windes (5-9) had 250 kills and 319 digs.

Vicknair, a transfer from the Washington, made the Pacific-10 all-freshman team in 1994.

“She’s very good and she can really hit,” Matthies said. “She redshirted last season, but she’s doing great.”

Senior Carrie Romer (6 feet), a second-team All-WCC pick last season, starts at middle blocker and sophomore Anna Witkowski is the backup.

As a junior, Romer had 395 kills and 126 blocks. Witkowski, a WCC all-freshman pick, had 256 kills, 127 digs and 105 blocks last season.

Aida Krascenicova, a 6-3 freshman from Slovakia and a former Czechoslovakian national team member, may get some playing time at middle blocker.

“She’s going to be good,” Matthies said.

The Waves play at tournaments in Utah and Colorado before playing host to USC on Sept. 18.

Pepperdine’s WCC opener is at Gonzaga on Oct. 4. The Waves were picked by WCC coaches to finish second in the conference behind defending champion Loyola Marymount.

“I have a serious group of players,” Matthies said. “I’m going to put myself on the line and say we’re going to be awesome.”