No. 6 Pepperdine Hosts No. 2 Ohio State in Women’s Tennis Showdown

MALIBU, Calif. — The No. 6 Pepperdine women’s tennis team (9-3, 3-0 WCC) is set to host the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (10-1, 3-0 B1G) on Wednesday at 2 p.m. From the Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center. Live scoring and streaming will be available.

Waves Riding High After Successful Road Trip

Pepperdine recently concluded a 5-0 road trip, highlighted by three victories against ranked opponents, including a 4-2 win over No. 10 Cal on March 8, 2026. This impressive run has propelled the Waves to a 9-3 overall record and a perfect 3-0 mark within the West Coast Conference.

Zhiyenbayeva Leads Pepperdine’s Charge

Freshman sensation Sonja Zhiyenbayeva has quickly turn into a cornerstone of the Pepperdine lineup. She recently earned her fifth West Coast Conference Freshman of the Week honor, fueled by a perfect 3-0 record in both singles and doubles during the spring break trip. Zhiyenbayeva boasts a 9-1 singles record this season and currently holds the No. 122 ranking in the ITA singles standings. She forms a formidable doubles pairing with Živa Falkner, currently ranked No. 26 nationally.

Doubles Dominance and Singles Strength

Falkner and Zhiyenbayeva were also recognized as the WCC Doubles Team of the Week after their undefeated performance on the road. Pepperdine’s doubles strength extends beyond the top pairing, with Anastasiia Grechkina and Chantal Sauvant posting a 6-1 record, and Shihomi Leong and Duru Söke achieving a 4-2 mark. In singles play, Zhiyenbayeva’s nine wins lead the team, closely followed by Alexia Harmon, who is 8-2 overall and currently on a six-match winning streak. Söke remains undefeated with a 7-0 record, while Sauvant has made an immediate impact in her debut season, going 6-4.

ITA Rankings Reflect Pepperdine’s Prowess

Pepperdine currently has three players ranked in the ITA singles standings: Grechkina (No. 10), Falkner (No. 43), and Zhiyenbayeva (No. 122). The Waves have a 6-1 record against ranked opponents this season, previously defeating No. 2 Texas A&M at home on January 30.

Ohio State’s West Coast Swing

Ohio State has won 10 of 11 matches this dual match season, falling only to No. 1 Georgia 4-3 in the ITA National Indoor Team Championship Final. The Buckeyes are coming off a 4-1 win at home over No. 40 Michigan on March 7, 2026. They will continue their California trip with matches at UCLA and USC following the contest at Pepperdine.

Buckeyes’ Ranked Players

The Buckeyes enter play as the No. 2 team in the country, having moved up from No. 13 in the preseason rankings. Luciana Perry (No. 3) and Leah Chavez (No. 4) account for the highest-ranked pair of teammates in the ITA singles rankings, as Nao Nishino (No. 67) and Audrey Spencer (No. 102) have also cracked the rankings. Chavez is currently riding an eight-match winning streak while Spencer has won 12 straight singles matches.

Series History

In the previous five meetings, Pepperdine holds a 2-3 overall record, having won the most recent matchup in March 2024 by a score of 4-2 in Columbus, Ohio. This marks Ohio State’s first-ever trip to Malibu.

Looking Ahead

Following Wednesday’s match, the Waves will have a rematch with No. 15 Cal this Sunday (March 15) at noon from Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center.

About Pepperdine Women’s Tennis

Pepperdine women’s tennis has been a consistent powerhouse in the collegiate scene, reaching 40 NCAA Tournaments since 1982 including 28 straight appearances. Since 2018, the program has seen three national runner-ups between both singles and doubles while reaching an NCAA Regional as a team eight times in the past nine tournaments. The success at the conference level has been paramount with 33 WCC Championships including an active streak of 11 consecutive conference titles. With its 24 total All-Americans, the program has also consistently sent players to the pro circuit following their time in Malibu.