STOCKTON, Calif. — Eleven kills apiece from Katie Lukes and Breana Edwards kept the good times rolling for No. 4 San Diego volleyball (16-1, 7-0 WCC) on Thursday night, powering the Toreros to a 3-0 sweep at Pacific (10-9, 2-5 WCC) that marked USD's 13th straight win and fifth consecutive victory in straight sets.

San Diego took the first set by a 25-17 margin, stormed back and erased a late deficit for a 25-23 comeback win in the second, and finished strong with a 25-15 win in the third to secure its 11th sweep of 2022.

Led by Lukes (.409) and Edwards (.360), the Toreros out-hit the Tigers .287 to .052. Leyla Blackwell (four blocks, one solo) headlined a well-rounded defensive effort for USD that saw it out-block Pacific by a 7-5 margin.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set - No. 4 San Diego, 25-17

• Back-and-forth play to begin Thursday night's first frame culminated in an early 5-5 tie before USD pulled ahead on an attack error from the Tigers.
• Two Pacific attack errors and a pair of kills from Edwards (graduate outside hitter) and junior middle blocker Leyla Blackwell (La Jolla High School) followed, expanding the Torero advantage to a four-point, 9-5 margin.
• Blackwell pushed that lead to six midway through the set at 13-7, with a kill, then junior outside hitter Kylie Pries answered a slight Pacific surge with a service ace, keeping the visitors ahead by five at 18-13.
• A San Diego service error allowed the Tigers to get back within four at 21-17, but Pacific would get no closer, suffering a 25-17 defeat in the first set after the Toreros ripped off a 4-0 run to finish the frame and secure a 1-0 lead in the match.

First Set Notables:

• Edwards: Five kills (.556)
• Graduate setter Gabby Blossom: Seven assists, two digs, and a block assist
• Blackwell: Two kills and a block assist
• Sophomore middle blocker Haylee Stoner: Two kills and a block assist
• Senior opposite/setter Grace Frohling: Two kills, a dig and a block assist

Second Set - No. 4 San Diego, 25-23

• Four Pacific errors and kills from Benbow, Frohling, and Lukes (redshirt senior outside hitter) powered USD to an 8-1 run to start the second set before the Tigers reeled things in and made it competitive.
• A San Diego attack error completed a rapid Pacific comeback to tie the set at nine, setting up a flurry of back-and-forth play.
• Five ties ensued — the final of which coming at 17-17 — then the Tigers surged forward to their largest (and final) lead of the evening, pushing ahead for a 21-18 lead that threatened to end San Diego's streak of 13 consecutive sets without a loss.
• Two attack errors from Pacific brought USD back within one at 21-20, then Edwards notched one of her trademark clutch kills to complete the Toreros' last-chance comeback and knot the set again, this time at 21.
• San Diego didn't look back after another ball handling error from the Tigers put it back in front at 22-21, sealing a gritty 25-23 comeback win with two Pacific attack errors, a Tiger attack error, and yet another kill from Edwards to take a commanding 2-0 advantage in the match.

Second Set Notables:

• Lukes: Four kills (.333)
• Blossom: Seven assists, four digs, and a block assist
• Blackwell: Two blocks (one solo)

Third Set - No. 4 San Diego, 25-15

• USD saved its best for last on Thursday night, recording its largest margin of victory (10 points) in the match's third and final set.
• A significant run again characterized the set's early stages, pushing the Toreros up 8-2 behind four kills from Lukes, one from Frohling, and a service ace from redshirt senior libero Annie Benbow.
• San Diego built that early advantage up to eight at 18-10 on a kill from Lukes, then created a match-high 10-point lead at 24-14 with a service ace from Blossom.
• One final attack error from the Tigers proceeded to end it, earning USD a 3-0 sweep of Pacific that extended its win streak to 13 matches.

Third Set Notables:

• Lukes: Six kills (.750)
• Edwards: Four kills (.571) and one block assist
• Frohling: Three kills (.500) and a dig
• Blossom: 10 assists, a service ace, and three digs
• Benbow: Five digs, two assists, and a service ace

TORERO TIDBITS

• Lukes (.409) and Edwards (.360) tied for the team-high with 11 kills each.
• Lukes added an assist and a dig, while Edwards chipped in a dig and a block assist.
• Frohling was next with six kills (.188), two digs and two block assists.
• Stoner (Mission Hills High School) hit .000 but still registered three kills, two assists, a solo block, and a block assist.
• Blackwell led the charge for San Diego on the defensive front, tallying four block assists and a solo block alongside a pair of kills (1.000).
• Blossom led the match in both assists (24) and digs (nine) while adding a service ace and two block assists.
• Benbow chipped in eight digs, four assists, and her first kill of the season.
• Freshman libero/defensive specialist Olivia Bennnett had two digs.
• San Diego has now won 13 matches in a row, a stretch that dates back to September 3rd's sweep of No. 8 Louisville at the Cardinal Classic.
• USD has swept its last five consecutive matches, a stint that dates back to September 29th's 3-0 win at Gonzaga.
• Eleven of USD's 16 wins in 2022 have come via a sweep.

UP NEXT
The Toreros will remain on the road this weekend to continue WCC play against Saint Mary's. First serve in Moraga on Saturday at the UCU Pavilion is set for 1:00 p.m.