Expectations were understandably high as USD women’s volleyball team began the 2024 season.
Two years removed from the first Final Four in program history, the Toreros were again expected to be among the best squads in the region. West Coast Conference coaches picked USD to finish second in the league.
But then USD lost both its matches at the Rainbow Wahine Classic in Hawaii and fell to St. John’s and Arizona State in its own Jack Talmadge Volleyball Classic at the Jenny Craig Pavilion. Like that, the Toreros were 0-4.
USD hosts first-place Washington State on Saturday at noon, and things have sure changed since the early stumble. USD is 9-7 overall — 9-3 since their first two weekends.
And, well, the Toreros are battle-tested. Consider: Their losses have come against teams ranked No. 12 (Oregon), No. 16 (Arizona State) and No. 17 (BYU). They’re 4-2 in WCC play, with their conference defeats coming against two teams — Washington State and Loyola Marymount — that sit ahead of them in the standings.
Nemo Beach has amassed a team-high 177 kills this season, two more than freshman Kennedy Osunsanmi. Kristen Erland leads USD with 70 blocks. The transfer from Saint Mary’s was a second-team All-WCC performer last year for the Gaels.
San Marcos native Haylee Stoner is coming off the biggest performance of her four-year college career, a 13-kill outing in Thursday’s four-set win over Portland.
Saturday’s Homecoming match will spark memories of USD’s 2022 run to the Final Four. The Toreros’ last victory over Washington State came in the second round of that season’s NCAA Tournament, when USD — then ranked No. 3 nationally — beat the 24th-ranked Cougars in four sets at Jenny Craig Pavilion. USD is 2-4 all-time against Washington State, which is playing in the WCC this season.
PLNU stays undefeated
Point Loma Nazarene’s undefeated season trucked along Thursday, when the Sea Lions pulled off a straight-sets sweep of Biola in La Mirada.
PLNU is now 15-0 overall and 9-0 in PacWest play. The Sea Lions aren’t just beating their opponents; they’re trouncing them. Ten of PLNU’s 15 wins have come via the sweep.
Saren Rogers led the 16th-ranked Sea Lions with nine kills on Thursday. Anna Massari added eight kills, three blocks and a match-high two aces. Sophia Baugh led the way with 27 assists.
PLNU will take Saturday off, then travel to Hawaii next week to take on Hawaii Pacific and Hawaii-HIlo. Hilo is one game behind PLNU in the PacWest standings, while Hawaii Pacific is in last place.
Aztecs host Wyoming
Fresh off Thursday’s five-set win over Colorado State, San Diego State will host Wyoming on Sautrday afternoon at Peterson Gym. The match tips off at noon; the first 250 fans in attendance will receive free roller banners.
Talea Mitchell led the Aztecs with 24 kills in Thursday’s 19-5, 23-25, 25-21, 25-20, 15-11 “reverse sweep” on campus. Taylor Underwood and Jasmine Davis had 10 kills apiece and Shea Rubright added nine. Andrea Campos posted a team-high 25 assists and 11 digs.
SDSU is 12-5 overall and 4-3 in Mountain West play.
