HONOLULU — The University of San Diego volleyball team will leave Hawai‘i with more than a winning record.
The Toreros wrapped up their opening tournament of the 2026 season Sunday with a dominant sweep of host Hawai‘i, winning 25-16, 25-17, 25-18 at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. The victory moved USD to 2-1 on the young season and capped a weekend that included a four-set win over Georgia Southern and a three-set loss to No. 21 Baylor.
After facing a nationally ranked opponent and navigating three matches in three days, USD closed the tournament with arguably its most complete performance.
The Toreros never trailed against Hawai‘i, controlling the match from the opening set and holding the Rainbow Wahine to a .078 hitting percentage. USD finished with 45 kills while hitting .266 and holding a 49-38 advantage in digs.
Nemo Beach led USD offensively with 11 kills on 30 attacks, hitting .267 to partner with 11 digs for a double-double. Kierstyn Barton followed with nine kills and 10 digs, while Meghan Scholz added eight kills on a .294 hitting percentage. BayLea Sparks contributed five kills while hitting .400.
Setter Kylie Munday helped keep the Toreros' offense moving throughout the sweep, recording 34 assists to go along with two kills and an ace. Lauren Lynch anchored the defense with a match-high 17 digs, while USD also recorded six service aces and 18 block assists.
Credit: USD Athletics
USD established control immediately.
The Toreros hit .333 in the opening set, recording 16 kills against just four errors to take a 25-16 win. They followed with another efficient offensive performance in the second, hitting .313 with 15 kills to take the set 25-17 and move within one set of the sweep.
Hawai‘i provided its strongest resistance in the third.
After just one tie in the opening set and none in the second, the teams were tied six times in the third. But Hawai‘i never managed to take the lead, and USD eventually pulled away for a 25-18 victory to complete the sweep. Across all three sets, Hawai‘i did not record a single lead change against the Toreros.
The result capped a productive first weekend for a USD team beginning its pursuit of another successful season.
The Toreros opened the tournament with an early test against No. 21 Baylor before securing a four-set victory over Georgia Southern. USD then responded again less than 24 hours later by delivering a sweep against Hawai’i in front of 5,430 fans. The Toreros leave Honolulu with two wins in three matches rather than allowing their first loss of the season to linger.
Two Toreros were also recognized for their performances throughout the weekend, with Barton and Munday earning spots on the All-Tournament Team.
For USD, the trip offered an early glimpse at several players who could play significant roles this season. Barton finished the weekend with an All-Tournament honor and closed it with a double-double, while Munday's recognition came as she took on the responsibility of directing the Toreros' offense.
After these three matches in Honolulu, USD heads home with its first tournament behind it, a 2-1 record and an early ranked matchup already under its belt.
The season may only be one weekend old, but the Toreros return to San Diego having already shown an ability to respond to a loss and finish a road trip on a high note.
See USD back in action on ESPN+ against Southern Methodist University on Friday at 7 p.m. and against the USC Trojans on September 6 at 2 p.m. for the Jack Talmadge Volleyball Classic.
Web photo: Nemo Beach Photo credit: USD Athletics
