OMAHA, Neb. — Two-seed No. 3 San Diego volleyball on Thursday completed competition in the most successful season in program history, falling 3-1 to No. 1 Texas in the NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship Semifinal before a crowd of 10,000+ fans at CHI Health Center.

The Toreros took the first set 28-26, then dropped the next three by scores of 25-16, 25-18, and 25-20. Graduate outside hitter Breana Edwards led USD with 14 kills. Junior middle blocker Leyla Blackwell paced the match with seven block assists.

Thursday's defeat to the Longhorns concludes a season unlike any other for the Toreros. The 2022 campaign saw San Diego record the most wins in program history (31), the best winning percentage in program history (.939), the most consecutive wins in program history (28), the third undefeated WCC season (18-0), and the deepest postseason run in program history (reached the NCAA Final Four for the first time ever).

USD's record-setting season also culminated in a historic haul of awards. Prior to Thursday night's match, head coach Jennifer Petrie was named the AVCA National Coach of the Year for the first time ever, an accolade that came after she was named both the AVCA Pacific South and the West Coast Conference Coach of the Year. For the first time ever, San Diego had three players named All-Americans (Gabby Blossom, Grace Frohling, and Katie Lukes), including the Toreros' second-ever First Team All-American (Blossom). And in the WCC, a Torero was named the conference Player of the Year (Lukes), Setter of the Year (Blossom), and Libero of the Year (Annie Benbow).

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set - No. 3 San Diego, 28-26

• The Toreros started Thursday night's first set strong, jumping out to an early 2-1 lead on a block assist from Frohling (senior opposite/setter) and Blackwell (middle blocker).
• Texas rallied to tie it at five, then Frohling pushed USD back ahead with a service ace.
• Back-and-forth play ensued up to a 14-14 tie that was punctuated by a clutch kill from Lukes (outside hitter), then a block assist from sophomore middle blocker Haylee Stoner and Lukes put the Toreros back on top at 15-14.
• The two teams traded leads up to a 22-22 tie, then a kill from Blackwell made it 23-22 in favor of USD.
• More deadlocks ensured at 24, 25, and 26 before Edwards gave the Toreros the lead one last time at 27-28.
• A clutch combo block from Frohling and Blackwell followed to finish it, earning San Diego a 28-26 win in the first set that gave them an early 1-0 lead over Texas in the match.

First Set Notables:

• Edwards: Five kills (.200)
• Blossom: 10 assists and three digs
• Blackwell: Two block assists
• Frohling: Two kills, a service ace, two digs, and a block assist
• Benbow: Three digs and two assists
• Junior libero/defensive specialist Madi Allen: Two digs

Second Set - No. 1 Texas, 25-16

• The Toreros opened up the second set with a 4-2 run that featured a kill from Edwards, a block assist from Blackwell and Edwards, a service ace from Blossom, and one more kill from Frohling.
• Texas tied it at six with a kill then pulled ahead at 7-6 with another, and San Diego wouldn't lead again in the set.
• Another service ace from Blossom tied it at 12 before the Longhorns pulled away down the stretch.
• A kill from Frohling cut the deficit to five at 21-16, then Texas sealed a 25-16 win in the second set to even the match score at 1-1.

Second Set Notables:

• Frohling: Five kills (.200) and two digs
• Edwards: Four kills (.429)
• Blackwell: One kill (.000) and two block assists
• Blossom: One kill (1.000), nine assists, two service aces, and nine digs.
• Lukes: Two digs
• Allen: Two digs
• Benbow: Two digs

Third Set - No. 1 Texas, 25-18

• The Toreros fell behind early on a kill and never caught up, chasing by as many as four early on before cutting the deficit to two at 12-10 on a clutch kill from Blackwell.
• USD trailed by five down the stretch, then Blossom cut the deficit to four at 22-18 on another service ace.
• Texas rallied to secure a 25-18 win in the third and pull ahead 2-1 in the match via a kill, a USD attack error, and a combo block.

Third Set Notables:

• Lukes: Three kills (.333) and two digs
• Blackwell: Two kills (.000) and a block assist
• Stoner: One kill (1.000) and a block assist
• Blossom: Six assists, a service ace, three digs, and a block assist
• Benbow: Two digs and an assist
• Allen: One dig

Fourth Set - No. 1 Texas, 25-20

• San Diego started Thursday night's fourth and final set on a 5-1 run, one that was facilitated by a pair of Longhorn attack errors, a block assist from Blackwell and Frohling, a kill from Frohling, and a block assist from Blackwell and Edwards.
• Texas rallied to tie the set at seven on a service ace, then pulled ahead 8-7 a point later on a USD error.
• The Toreros battled for three more ties at 8-8, 9-9, and 13-13 on kills from Lukes, Edwards, and Blackwell before Texas took the lead for good at 14-13.
• San Diego pulled within two down the stretch at 21-19 on a Texas attack error, and Blackwell kept the deficit at three at 23-20, but the Longhorns pulled away late to secure a 25-20 win, advancing them to the NCAA Volleyball National Championship with a 3-1 win and ending the Toreros' season.

Fourth Set Notables:

• Blackwell: Four kills (.333) and two block assists
• Lukes: Four kills (.200) and a dig
• Edwards: Three kills (.071)
• Frohling: Two kills (.250) and a block assist
• Stoner: One kill (.500)
• Blossom: 12 assists and three digs
• Benbow: Four digs and two assists
• Allen: One dig

TORERO TIDBITS

• Edwards led USD with 14 kills while hitting .100, also adding two block assists.
• Blackwell, Frohling, and Lukes each tallied nine kills while hitting .174, .111, and .056, respectively.
• Blackwell added a match-high seven block assists, Frohling had three block assists, six digs, and a service ace, and Lukes had three block assists.
• Stoner recorded three kills (.333), also adding two block assists.
• Blossom set forth 37 assists, a match-high three service aces, 18 digs, a block assist, and a kill.
• Benbow had 11 digs and five assists.
• Allen totaled six digs, freshman libero/defensive specialist Olivia Bennett had four, and junior middle blocker Kylie Pries had two.

WHAT IT MEANS
Thursday night's loss to No. 1 Texas marks the conclusion of Annie Benbow, Grace Frohling, Gabby Blossom, Breana Edwards, Katie Lukes, and Gabby Goddard's college careers.

Together, they represent one of the most accomplished and significant senior classes in the history of San Diego volleyball.

The Toreros' final 2022 overall record stands at 31-2 (.939) and 18-0 in WCC play, the best of any team in program history.