MALIBU, Calif. — A remarkable 23-kill, 23-dig performance from freshman outside hitter Isabel Clark on Wednesday afternoon led San Diego volleyball (18-9, 13-4 WCC) past Pepperdine (16-11, 13-4 WCC) by a score of 3-1 at the Firestone Fieldhouse, moving the Toreros back into a tie for second place in the West Coast Conference standings.

Clark hit .283 and added two blocks and a service ace to aid a resilient USD effort that saw San Diego win the first two frames by scores of 25-20 and 25-23, drop a hard-fought third set 30-28, and hang tough for a 25-20 victory in the fourth and final frame.

Nemo Beach added 14 kills to complement Clark's clutch performance, while Kristen Erland (six blocks) paced the Torero defense at the net. First-year setter Kyle Munday totaled a career-high 47 assists and chipped in five blocks of her own, helping San Diego out-hit Pepperdine .299 to .253 and out-block the Waves 10 to 4.

The Toreros were down 10-9 midway through Wednesday's first set before a kill from Clark pulled San Diego even with Pepperdine, 10-10. Back-to-back combo blocks from Munday and Erland followed to put USD in front, and San Diego didn't trail again.

USD found itself down by as many as four as set two got underway, but was able to tie the score, 19-19, on a kill from Haylee Stoner. The Toreros and Waves traded points from there, eventually culminating in a 22-22 tie that was broken by a kill from Beach and a 23-23 tie that was snapped by a kill from Clark. Moments later, Clark finished off the frame with a key service ace, and San Diego had a 2-0 lead on Pepperdine in the match.

After racing to 15-7 and 17-10 advantages in the third period, it appeared the Toreros were well on their way to their 11th sweep of 2024. But Pepperdine staved off match point and sent the contest to a decisive fourth set by prevailing in a wild 30-28 decision.

San Diego went ahead almost immediately in the fourth frame, staking itself to a 6-4 lead that was achieved when Clark found her mark with yet another well-placed kill. USD stretched its advantage to four at multiple points down the stretch courtesy of kills from Erland and Kennedy Osunsanmi before one last kill from Beach and a net violation called on the Waves sealed the set (25-20) and the match (3-1) in the Toreros' favor.

NOTABLE:

• Erland hit .538 and added two digs.
• Stoner contributed five kills while hitting .308 alongside a match-high two solo blocks.
• Madi Allen had 15 digs and was tied for the game high with two service aces.
• Olivia Bennett was just behind Allen with 14 digs.
• Wednesday's win at Pepperdine earned the Toreros' their first season sweep of the Waves since 2022.
• The 3-1 score in San Diego's favor on Wednesday at Pepperdine matched the result from the two teams' previous meeting this season at the Jenny Craig Pavilion on November 9.

UP NEXT
The Toreros are back in action on Saturday afternoon, when they return to the JCP to host Saint Mary's in what will mark their final regular-season match of 2024. First serve against the Gaels is set for 11:00 a.m.