Stockton, Calif. - The Pacific volleyball team played No. 7 San Diego about even throughout all three sets, but the Toreros nipped the Tigers in each for a 3-0 win Saturday, 25-21, 25-23, 25-19.

Senior Lexi Elman recorded 11 kills and 14 digs with three blocks for the Tigers as the decorated outside hitter played her final regular season home game. Emily Baptista added nine kills while hitting .350, with Katrin Gotterba posting 13 digs and four assists. Andie Shelton tallied 12 assists with three digs and a pair of blocks, with Jessica Diederich posting 17 assists and three digs. Ashlyn Fleming chipped in five kills.

The match featured 28 ties and only three lead changes. San Diego won 22 of the ensuing points with a set tied to the Tigers' six.


USD opened with a 4-1 run but the Tigers answered back to tie it at 7-7, as Shelton posted an ace, Elman a kill, and Fleming & Shelton teamed for a block. After a kill by Fleming tied the set at 9-9, USD slipped ahead on a block from Lauren Schad and a service ace. But Elman's kill and an ace from Fleming brought Pacific within 12-11. The Tigers tied the set at 16-16 on kills from Janie Feldsher. Baptista added a kill, but the Tigers couldn't take the lead as USD led by three on a kill from Kaity Edwards. Elman posted a kill and a block from Feldsher and Elman cut the margin to 23-21, but Lauren Fulmer delivered a killl and Anna Newsome served up an ace for a 25-21 Torero win.

In set two, two kills each from Elman and Lisa Kramer kept the set tied at 4-4. Skylar Wine delivered a cross-court kill to tie it at 6-6, and Baptista's kill knotted the set at 7-7, but USD spurted ahead with three-straight points. Elman posted a kill and joined Feldsher for a block as Pacific pulled within 12-10. Elman and Baptista posted kills, but USD answered with a kill from Schad as once again the Tigers could get even but not out in front. Baptista crushed an overpass to level the set at 16-16, and hit the back corner for an 18-18 tie. Maycie LaBass delivered a service ace as Pacific took its first lead in a set, 19-18. The Toreros had won 16-straight points when the set was tied in the match.

A block from USD tied the set at 21-21 before a kill from Shelton, and the Tigers took a 23-22 lead on an attack error. But the Toreros slipped back in front, 24-23 on a kill from Schad.  Thana Fayad's kill provided set point, 25-23, and San Diego led 2-0 at the break.  USD out-hit Pacific in set two by a slim margin of .214 to .200.

Pacific tallied the first two points of set three, but USD tallied two back for the first of four ties before USD took a 7-5 lead. Pacific reeled off three of the next four points to tie at 8-8. The Toreros surged ahead for a 12-9 lead, prompting a Pacific timeout. The Tigers rallied back to tie at 14-14 via back-to-back kills from Feldsher.  But the Toreros used a 7-2 run to seize control.  Fleming and Elman tallied kills to bring the Tigers within 22-19, but San Diego slammed the door, taking the set 25-19 by hitting .378 for the set.

For the match, USD hit .291 to Pacific's .188. The Toreros created their own luck so to speak, with frequent quick returns to system when the Tigers forced them out, enabling USD to win most of the points on rallies featuring free balls.


Pacific falls to 14-12 on the season, and 8-6 in West Coast Conference play. The Tigers remain third in the WCC standings. San Diego improves to 21-3 overall and in sole possession of first place in the WCC at 12-1.

The Tigers will finish with four straight road games to conclude the regular season, visiting Saint Mary's on Thursday.