5-match winning streak propels USD to top of standings

Levi Coovert / Contributor

       USD women’s volleyball season didn’t start the way the Toreros had hoped. For a team that went to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Final Four in 2022, losing four matches to start the season was not what anyone had imagined. Winning 4 games and losing 6 in tournament play was not expected either. The Toreros traveled to invitationals in Hawaii, Los Angeles and Georgia, going a combined 3-5, and in their own USD Invitational, the Toreros went 1-1.

     Fortunately, better days were on the horizon, in the form of the West Coast Conference (WCC). After winning the WCC with an 18-0 record in 2022, the Toreros have gotten off to a similar start in league play this year. The Toreros now have a five-match winning streak as of their game on Sept. 23 against Saint Mary’s. Shutout wins over Saint Mary’s, Gonzaga and Portland helped the Toreros climb back to a winning record. A 3-1 victory at home against Santa Clara showed everyone that USD isn’t going anywhere. They followed that victory with a road win over Pacific on Oct. 7, and are now 9-6 on the season.

     This year the Toreros are led by USD senior Kylie Pries and graduate senior Amber Stivrins. Both girls have been named WCC Offensive Player of the Week this season, with Pries recently taking the award on Oct. 2 and Stivrins receiving the award on Sept. 11, only her second week as a Torero.

       Stivrins played for Georgia from 2020 to 2022, leading the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in aces with 47 in 2021, and leading the Bulldogs in 2020 with 212 kills. She came to USD to play as a graduate student this year, and is leading the team with 217 points so far this season.

       On Oct. 5, USD celebrated its Final Four appearance last year, by unveiling a brand new banner in the Jenny Craig Pavilion. It was a celebratory moment, followed by one of the Toreros’ closest wins of the season against the Santa Clara Broncos. After winning the second set, the Broncos rolled out to a 12-7 lead in set three, putting pressure on USD to respond.

       The Toreros did just that, fighting back to take the lead and winning a decisive set three victory. Then in set four, up 2-1, the Toreros pulled out another close win, coming out on top by a score of 25-23 to seal their fourth match win in a row.

     First-year student Blake Luehrman, who attended the match, shared his thoughts.

     “It was dope,” Luehrman said.

     The USD team has a lot of energy, evident from their frequent dancing after scoring. The team persevered by moving from 0-4 to second place in the WCC, with a 5-0 league record and 9-6 overall record.

     Although the Toreros may not have gotten off to the start they imagined, they have bounced back and are now fighting to keep their title as champions of the WCC. They are currently behind only Pepperdine, whose 5-0 league record and 9-6 overall record beats out USD by a single win. A home game on Oct. 21 against Pepperdine looms large, which could play a huge role in determining the winner of the West Coast Conference. The next Torero home game is next week on Thursday Oct. 19, where they’ll take on Portland at 7 p.m. in the Jenny Craig Pavilion.