WAVES FLOOD CSUN : PEPPERDINE 3, CSUN 0.

Byline: Heather Gripp Daily News Staff Writer

After two weeks of facing the best teams men's colligate volleyball has to offer, Pepperdine finally had the chance to take a breather Wednesday, when it played unranked Cal State Northridge in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation contest at Northridge's gym.

Despite lacking the intensity that helped propel them into the No. 2 spot in the nation in this week's polls, the Waves came away with a 15-11, 15-13, 15-10 victory.

CSUN made it clear, though, that Pepperdine (7-1, 6-1) is not the only team on the rise. While their record might not show it, the Matadors (2-5, 0-5) appeared vastly improved from their first meeting with the Waves - a three-game blowout in the conference opener - while making Pepperdine work for the win this time.

``I think we were a little flat,'' said Waves coach Marv Dunphy.

Even after opening the third game with a 9-2 lead after not leading by more than four in either of the first two games, Pepperdine allowed CSUN back in the game. Three Matadors points at match-point made it 14-10.

``I thought we had a great chance,'' said CSUN outside hitter Junior Monsones. ``It was there for our win.''

A major reason for the Matadors improvement is the emergence of senior outside hitter Chad Strickland. The Matadors' leader battled a rotator cuff injury during the early portion of the season but has returned closer to the form that earned him All-American status the past two seasons.

``I'm 100 percent now,'' he said.

Strickland's team-high 23 kills, including 11 in the first game were a major reason CSUN maintained the lead as late as 10-9 in game one and came as close as 14-13 in game two.

Monsones also pounded out 17 kills for CSUN.

The Matadors, however, were not satisfied.

``It was much better,'' Strickland said. ``But not good enough. They weren't ready, but neither were we. That's what sucks. If we were ready to play, I guarantee we would have beat them.