SAN DIEGO — Sophomore outside hitter Nemo Beach and senior middle blocker Haylee Stoner led the way for San Diego volleyball with 19 combined kills on Saturday night as it forced a fourth set against No. 16 Arizona State (5-0, 0-0 Big 12), but a late-match rally from the Sun Devils dealt USD (0-4, 0-0 WCC) a tough 3-1 loss as the Jack Talmadge Volleyball Classic continued at the Jenny Craig Pavilion. 

No. 16 ASU took the first set 25-14 before San Diego responded with an energetic 25-21 win in the second. The Sun Devils followed with 25-17 and 25-21 victories in the third and fourth frames to seal a 3-1 decision in their favor.

Multiple kills from Kennedy Osunsanmi, Nemo Beach, and Ella Durham allowed San Diego to quickly recover in set two as it took a 3-2 lead and never looked back to even the match at one set apiece with a 25-21 win. 

The Toreros used a 4-0 run to erase a 6-2 deficit early in the third set, surging back into the mix when kills from Stoner and Durham gave it a 10-9 lead. A 5-0 ASU run followed, prompting a Torero timeout that only slightly slowed the Sun Devils down as they caught fire late and marched toward a 25-17 win.

San Diego stormed ahead early and was ahead by as many as three midway through the fourth frame after Osunsanmi and Erland teamed up on a clutch combo block to make it 18-15, but USD could not hang on as the Sun Devils escaped with a 25-21 win to take the match by a 3-1 margin. 

Stoner set new season highs hitting percentage (.667) and kills (9) on Saturday, benefitting from a brilliant effort from Munday, who racked up 33 assists. Madi Allen paced USD on the defensive side, leading the match with a season-high 23 digs.

The Toreros are set to play their third and final game of the 2024 Jack Talmadge Volleyball Classic tomorrow afternoon against UC Santa Barbara. First serve at the Jenny Craig Pavilion is set for 2:00 p.m., and the match will be streamed live on ESPN+.