BERLIN — Three different Toreros tallied seven kills on Wednesday, but San Diego volleyball dropped a 3-0 decision to Team Italy while representing the United States to begin play in the 2025 World University Games, falling by 25-20, 25-9, and 25-17 margins at the Horst-Korber Sportzentrum.

Nemo Beach, Izzy Clark, and Kennedy Osunsanmi led the charge for USD on offense, and were followed by Minnesota graduate transfer Kali Engeman, who added six kills of her own and paced San Diego/Team USA with a pair of blocks. Clark also did her part on defense, chipping in a match-high 11 digs.

USD/USA nearly stole the first frame, cutting an early deficit to just two when Maya Kitna notched a clutch block to make it 22-20, but her team got no closer.

The Toreros/Team USA never led in a one-sided second set, but bounced back in the third to make things interesting, keeping pace with the Italians early on before ceding the match on a service error.

From July 16-27, 2025, San Diego volleyball will join around 8,500 other student-athletes and officials from over 150 countries in competing for medals in 18 sports at the World University Games, one of the largest multi-sport events in the world. The Toreros will be representing the USA as the nation's only women's volleyball team in the Games.