BOULDER, Colo. – The Cal volleyball team was three points away from forcing a fifth and deciding set Sunday but ultimately fell to Colorado, 25-23, 25-16, 20-25, 25-22 at the Coors Event Center.

After dropping the first two sets, the Bears (8-10, 0-8 Pac-12) broke 19-19 tie in the third set by scoring six of the next seven points to win and move to a fourth set. Cal fell behind 5-1 to begin the fourth set but gradually battled back. After trailing 19-14, the Bears fought back to knot the set at 22-22. But the Buffaloes (12-8, 4-4) scored the final three points to end the match.

Senior outside hitter Christina Higgins led the Bears with 22 kills, following up a 23-kill performance Friday in a five-set loss at Utah. Higgins, an AVCA Second Team All-American last season, entered the day ranked ninth in the Pac-12 at 3.41 kills per set. She has averaged 4.85 kills over the Bears past three matches.

Junior middle blocker Lillian Schonewise added 13 kills at a .526 hitting percentage while also registering four blocks. Freshman Ashten Smith-Gooden had nine kills at a .438 percentage and sophomore middle blocker Jenelle Jordan had a career-high seven kills and five blocks.

The Bears fell behind 11-7 in the first set but then scored five of the next six points to tie it up at 12-12. The Buffaloes later extended to a 20-17 advantage only to see Cal score three in a row on two kills by freshman opposite hitter Antzela Dempi and freshman outside hitter Christine Alftin. Schonewise had a pair of kills late in the set to keep the Bears close but Colorado was able to finish off the set.

The Bears fell behind quickly in the second set, trailing 12-5. A three-point run on a kill by Higgins, an ace by Schonewise and a kill from Jordan got them as close as 17-13, but Colorado then pulled away.

The third set was close throughout until Cal pulled away at the end. With the score tied at 19-19, Higgins recorded three straight kills to give the Bears a 22-19 advantage. The Buffs scored a point to trim the deficit to two points, but another kill by Higgins and a block by Jordan and Dempi helped finish off the set.

After trailing 19-14 in the fourth set, two kills by Schonewise and an ace senior Marlee Davis cut Colorado's advantage to two points. The Buffs led 22-20 when Higgins notched a kill and Jordan and Dempi teamed up for another block to tie it up. But Colorado was able to wrap it up from there.

Sophomore setter Alyssa Jensen dished out 52 assists, her sixth 50-assist performance of the season. Sophomore libero Maddy Kerr led the Bears with 17 digs.

The Bears return home to play USC on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at Haas Pavilion. The match will air on the Pac-12 Networks.