SAN DIEGO – No. 36 San Diego concludes its regular season with a pair of road matches this weekend as it travels to Saint Mary's and Pacific.
The Toreros (15-3, 6-1 WCC) are still in the hunt for the WCC regular-season title but will need to win their matches and get a little help.
No. 6 Pepperdine holds a one-match lead on USD entering the final weekend and play host to San Francisco and Santa Clara. The Toreros need either the Dons and or Broncos to pull an upset to tie or pass the Waves.
USD begins weekend play on Friday at 11 a.m. PT at Saint Mary's (9-9, 5-2 WCC) and conclude its regular season on Saturday at noon at Pacific (4-12, 1-6 WCC).
The Toreros went 1-1 last week, falling to Pepperdine but rebounding with a gritty 4-2 win against Loyola Marymount.
Solymar Colling grinded out a three-set victory to earn the clinching point for the Toreros against LMU.
With the Toreros leading 3-2, Colling defeated Veronika Miroscnichenko 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, to earn her fifth straight victory. Colling, ranked 64th nationally, improved to 12-4 in dual matches, playing every match at the No. 1 position.
Daniela Morales delivered the highlight of the day for USD in singles, earning a crucial comeback victory against Siobhan Anderson at No. 3. Morales dropped the first set, 6-0, and trailed 5-2 in the second set before catching fire.
Morales won the next five games to win the second set, 7-5. She trailed in the third set, 4-3, but won the next three games to win the set 6-3 and earn the victory.
The Toreros continued their strong play in doubles and earned victories at No. 1 and No. 3 to claim the doubles point.
Maria-Paula Torres and
Solymar Colling, ranked 57th nationally, defeated the 65th ranked team of Eva Marie Voracek and Miroshnichenko at No. 1, 6-3.
Kati Kukaras and
Gemma Garcia clinched the point with a win at No. 3 against Elvira Juravliova and Camila Tumosa, 6-4. Kukaras and Garcia have won 14 consecutive matches.
After LMU tied the match at 1-1, Kukaras completed a decisive decision against Juravliova at No. 4, 6-0, 6-2, to put the Toreros back up, 2-1.
Morales put the Toreros up, 3-1, with her win at No. 3. LMU responded with a win at No. 6 to cut USD's lead to 3-2.
Colling provided the deciding point moments later to secure the Toreros 13th victory in the past 14 matches.
