SAN DIEGO – No. 19 San Diego gave No. 10 UCLA all it could handle but the Toreros were unable to complete the upset, falling 3-2 to the Bruins Sunday evening in the Jenny Craig Pavilion.
 
Less than 24 hours after knocking off No. 12 Baylor, the Toreros (1-3) returned to the court for their fourth consecutive top-20 matchup to start the season.
 
Lauren Fuller and Kaity Edwards registered 12 kills apiece to lead a balanced USD attack that included six players with eight or more kills.
 
The match featured outstanding defensive plays by both teams with each side racking up 80 digs apiece. The Bruins' (4-0) Madeleine Gates recorded a match-high 11 blocks to lead a 22-block effort for UCLA. Addie Picha led the Toreros with six blocks and USD finished the match with 13 overall.
 
Freshman Kelli Barry was a major factor in the Toreros strong defensive showing and led the team with 23 digs.
 
After trading the first few points with the Bruins, USD took a 10-5 lead and held the advantage through a majority of the first set. UCLA knotted the score at 19-19 on a block by Gates and Hawley Harrer. The Toreros retook the lead on the ensuing play with a kill by Edwards and would not relinquish the lead the remainder of the set, winning 25-21.
 
UCLA held a slight lead through the first half of the second set but took control in the latter portion. With the Bruins leading 20-13, the Toreros won four of the next six points to cut the deficit to 22-17. However, UCLA won the next three points to win the set, 25-17, and level the match at, 1-1.
 
The Bruins found their rhythm early in the third set and never trailed. Holding a 17-10 advantage, UCLA went on an 8-3 run to close the set, 25-13, and take a 2-1 lead in the match.
 
The Toreros returned the favor in the fourth set, never trailing after the match was tied at 3-3. USD took an early lead, 12-7, but UCLA went on an, 8-3, run to level the score, 15-15. USD responded with a rally of its own, winning five of the next six points to retake the lead, 20-16.
 
The Toreros completed the set on a 5-2 run to win, 25-19, and send the match to a fifth.
 
UCLA took command early in the fifth set and held leads of 8-5 and 10-6. However, USD responded by winning the next three points to cut its deficit to, 10-9. The comeback effort came up short for the Toreros as the Bruins reeled off five of the next seven points to win the set, 15-11, and earn the 3-2 victory.
 
San Diego continues its nine-match home stretch next weekend with a pair of matchups against Tennessee.