STOCKTON, Calif. — As this week's dynamic duo leapt above the net at the Alex G. Spanos Center, San Diego volleyball's roadmap to success illustrated itself in real time.

Sure, Haylee Stoner and Kennedy Osunsanmi's combo block of a Pacific attack gave San Diego volleyball an early lead. But it also vividly underscored the recipe with which the Toreros have been thriving recently as they've rolled to victory nine of their last 11 matches.

Blending youthful exuberance with time-tested experience. Seamlessly melding a dependable core of returners with an exciting (and impactful) crop of first-year players.

No better example than Stoner — the reigning WCC Defensive Player of the Week — denying the Tigers alongside Osunsanmi, who as of this Monday has received the conference's weekly freshman nod three times. 

Three members of the 2024 USD roster, including Stoner, played in the NCAA National Semifinal two seasons ago. Four, including Osunsanmi, are navigating their debut college campaign. Aligning what has been and what will be figures to be key as head coach Jennifer Petrie aims to vault her historic program back into the postseason.

On Thursday night all the pieces — Stoner, Osunsanmi, and beyond — continued to come together for USD (11-7, 6-2 WCC), with the Toreros prevailing 25-20, 25-14, and 25-16 in a dominant wire-to-wire win over Pacific (13-8, 3-6 WCC) to earn their sixth sweep of 2024.

Freshman outside hitter Isabel Clark paced the match with 12 kills. Osunsanmi was just behind with nine kills of her own while hitting .471, senior middle blocker Kristen Erland set a new season high with eight kills that were achieved at a .533 clip, and Stoner added seven more while staying brutally efficient with a match-high .583 hitting percentage.

First-year setter Kylie Munday directed the Torero offense with precision yet again, totaling a match-high 28 assists while falling only three digs short of her 11th double-double this season.

Madi Allen picked up where Munday left off on the defensive front, recording 15 digs to lead all players on Thursday. Her productive evening headlined a well-rounded effort from USD on that side of the ball that saw five different Toreros notch a block.

Though Pacific crept back within five points to conclude the opening frame, the match featured only two lead changes. San Diego led by as many as eight in set one, 11 in set two, and nine in set three.

Out on the road, a Torero team continuing to coalesce.

NOTABLE

• Clark recorded two solo blocks. Erland added one.
• Defensive specialist Olivia Bennett totaled 11 digs and two assists.
• Five Toreros, including Bennett, had a service ace.
• Thursday's match (1:26) is tied with October 5th's win over Oregon State for the Toreros' second-shortest game of the season thus far, second to only a one hour, 21-minute triumph at Gonzaga on September 26.

UP NEXT
San Diego is back in action on Saturday afternoon, when it travels to Moraga, California to continue conference play at Saint Mary's. First serve in the UCU Pavilion is set for 1:00 p.m.