MALIBU, Calif. — With one of the WCC's toughest opponents on the road ahead of them to begin conference play in 2025, San Diego volleyball did not flinch. 

The Toreros were tasked with making the trip north on Thursday evening to take on Pepperdine and did so handily, making quick work of the Waves in four sets to claim a 3-1 victory and begin their 2025 West Coast Conference campaign in style. 

USD (8-4, 1-0 WCC) prevailed in the opening set by a 25-20 margin before Pepperdine (6-6, 0-1 WCC) gave itself some life with a 25-17 win in the second set to tie it up at one set a piece, but the Toreros remained steady, taking sets three and four 25-19, and 25-11, respectively, to seal the win.  

A trio of Nemo Beach, Isabel Clark, and Kennedy Osunsanmi led the way for San Diego, earning 41 of their team's 57 total kills in the match, and each tallying a pair of blocks. They were just three of six total Toreros with multiple blocks on the night — a group that was headlined by BayLea Sparks and her four total blocks — to keep the Waves at bay with a .188 hitting percentage. 

After not appearing in her team's last match against UC San Diego on Saturday, sophomore setter Kylie Munday picked up right where she left off, picking up her fifth double-double of the season with 39 assists, and a tied-for-team-high 13 digs. 

The Toreros took set three 25-19, and kept their foot on the gas, opening the fourth and final frame with an 11-4 run en route to a 25-11 set win. Beach, who led her team with 16 total kills, scored three times down the stretch to seal the match for USD in a crucial conference clash.   

NOTABLE

• Reece Bates, Lauren Lynch, and Munday each earned a service ace in the victory. 
• Both teams recorded nine blocks, but the Toreros hit .283 compared to the Waves' .188. 
• Munday and Olivia Bennett each earned a tied-for-game-high 13 digs. 

UP NEXT
The Toreros return home on Saturday afternoon for another key conference battle, hosting LMU in the Jenny Craig Pavilion. First serve against the Lions is set for 12:00 p.m.