LOS ANGELES — San Diego volleyball (9-7, 5-1 WCC) won a hard-fought first set on Thursday night but could not hang on to earn its sixth consecutive West Coast Conference win, dropping a tough 3-1 decision to Loyola Marymount (13-4, 6-1 WCC) at the Gersten Pavilion.

The Toreros took the first set by a 25-23 margin then fell by scores of 25-16, 25-22, and 25-18 as they suffered their first WCC defeat of the season and just their third loss in their last 12 matches.

Kylie Pries led USD with 13 kills, while Leyla Blackwell paced the San Diego offense with four total blocks, including one solo effort.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set - San Diego, 25-23

• Thursday night's first set began with back-and-forth play that had the Lions and Toreros locked into an early 6-6 tie.
• An LMU service error pushed USD ahead, then Pries and Blackwell expanded the San Diego lead with a combo block.
• The two teams remained close through the middle stages of the frame with Anna Jaworowski and Pries keeping the Toreros in front by a narrow margin with a service ace and a kill.
• Loyola Marymount was within one point until the very end of the frame, when Nemo Beach sealed a 25-23 victory in set one with a kill.

Second Set - Loyola Marymount, 26-16

• The Lions began Thursday's second set on a 4-1 run before USD reeled the Lions in and cut the deficit to one at 5-4.
• San Diego continued to trail as the set progressed, allowing LMU's lead to stretch to 10 points when a Lion kill made it 18-8.
• Beach came up clutch down the stretch again with a kill of her own that fended off set point but the Toreros got no closer, suffering a 26-16 defeat as the Lions tied the match at 1-1.

Third Set - Loyola Marymount, 25-22

• USD stared down an early deficit for a second consecutive frame as Thursday's third set got underway, trailing 6-1 before Beach picked up where she left off and hammered a kill to make it a four-point game.
• A service ace from Madi Allen had San Diego within two at 6-4, but a flurry of Torero errors (both on the attack and service side) allowed Loyola Marymount to create a seven-point, 13-6 advantage.
• The Toreros pulled back within three on an Olivia Bennett service ace, were back within two on a kill from Amber Stivrins, and made it a one-point game when Blackwell found her mark.
• Stivrins and Blackwell then teamed up for a combo block to tie it at 22-22, but San Diego could not complete the comeback and establish its first advantage of the set, suffering a tough 25-22 defeat as LMU took a 2-1 lead in the match.

Fourth Set - Loyola Marymount, 25-18

• USD fell behind once more to begin Thursday night's fourth and final set, this time by a 4-1 margin.
• A solo block from Stivrins had the set tied at 8-8 before LMU quickly responded with a kill to retake the lead.
• Stivrins found her mark down the stretch with a kill to pull her team back within four at 22-18, but the Toreros got no closer.

TORERO TIDBITS

• Bennett totaled a team-high two service aces alongside eight digs.
• Isadora Tercariol led USD with 24 assists.
• Allen added a team-best 13 digs and a service ace.
• Stoner chipped in a solo block, which marked her fifth of 2023.

UP NEXT
The Toreros will continue WCC play on the road this weekend, traveling to San Francisco for a match against the Dons. First serve on Saturday afternoon at War Memorial Gym is set for 1:00 p.m.