The USD and USF women's volleyball teams both entered yesterday's West Coast Conference match nationally ranked and with identical league records.

Still, the No. 15 Toreros admitted they stepped onto the court with a chip on their collective shoulder. They put it to good use in a 25-21, 25-22, 25-21 win over the No. 25 Dons at Jenny Craig Pavilion.

With the win, USD (19-3, 9-1) is alone atop the WCC standings with five matches left in the regular season.

“That was really important for us to beat San Francisco (18-6, 8-2) in three,” said sophomore Ali Troost.

Added junior Amy Mahinalani DeGroot: “We're peaking at the right time.”

With the memory of an Oct. 11 loss to the Dons still fresh, USD played what Troost and DeGroot agreed was the team's best match of the season.

The pair had 17 kills apiece. DeGroot also was effective in the back row, adding 13 digs. Ashton Basch and Torey Ellick added seven kills each.

“It's not just one or two hitters,” DeGroot said. “We have all cylinders firing.”

Setter Jessica Nyrop dished out 44 assists, while junior libero Andrea Csaszi (RBV) collected a team-high 16 digs.

– NICOLE VARGAS

Cross country

Bre Schofield ran a fifth-place time of 21 minutes, 44.2 seconds in the women's 6K for UCSD at the Division II West Regional Championships at UCSD. Schofield earned a spot at the Div. II National Championships Nov. 22 in Slippery Rock, Pa.

Paced by medalist Scott Bauhs (32:15.8) in the 10K men's race and Tori Tyler (2nd, 21:33.9) in the women's race, Chico State won both the men's and women's titles.

Jake LeVieux was UCSD's top men's runner, 14th overall at 33:44.1.