There was monster surf on the North Shore on Friday. Epic conditions with 15- to 20-foot faces.

The Waves may have been even bigger at the Stan Sheriff Center on Friday night.

It was just as epic for Pepperdine, which advanced to the elite eight of the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament for just the second time in program history. Behind the double-double performance of senior hitter Kim Hill (15 kills, 15 digs), the 15th-seeded Waves (25-6) swept Kansas State off the court with a stifling block and frustrating defense in a 25-18, 25-12, 25-23 victory.

It was the sixth straight win for Pepperdine, which has lost just once in 20 matches since falling to Hawaii twice in mid-September. The Waves advance to their first regional final since 2002 and will face USC at 7 tonight.

"I think playing here this season helped," Pepperdine coach Nina Matthies said. "We felt very comfortable. Our kids weren’t going ‘whoa’ and panicking over the big arena. We knew what we were in for here."

"We experienced a very terrible loss here," added sophomore setter Kellie Woolever, finishing with 40 assists and 12 digs. "Now we have a chance to redeem ourselves."

It was a disappointing loss for the Wildcats (22-11), who knocked off No. 2 seed Nebraska last Saturday in Lincoln.

"I think there were a number of things we could have done better," KSU coach Suzie Fritz said. "One of our goals was to be who we are. It took us too long to get to that point tonight.

"We found ourselves in Game 3, but it was too late."

Instead the Wildcats found Hill, the West Coast Conference player of the year, who was solid at 23-23. Hill and Samantha Cash stuffed Lilla Porubek for match point, and Hill aced libero Ku‘ulei Kabalis to end it.

"I think our attitude at Nebraska was a little more calm and composed," said Kabalis, a Kamehameha-Hawaii graduate who finished with a match-high 17 digs. "Tonight we were tight."

And frustrated. Pepperdine had five players with double-digit digs, with libero Stevi Robinson also picking up 15, Woolever 12 and Lilla Frederick and Micha Christiaansen 11 each.

"We’ve stressed ball-control all season long and we did a nice job on defense tonight," Matthies said. "We’re happy that we’ve come from one paradise — Malibu — to here.

"No, it doesn’t matter who we play tomorrow. I’m just glad that we’re sitting and watching."

Pepperdine took control of the match in Set 2 behind 6-0 serving runs from Frederick and Hill to jump out 17-4. It was 20-7 before the Wildcats pulled it together, pulling to 20-10.

Kansas State avoided its worst single-set loss by holding off one set point (24-12), but the hole was too deep. Victoria Adelhelm put down one of her six kills to end it.

Kathleen Ludwig led the Wildcats with 12 kills, and Kaitlyn Pelger added 10 kills and 11 digs.

Frederick had 10 kills to go with her 11 digs for the Waves. Hill was also in on five of Pepperdine’s 12 blocks.