BERKELEY – Redshirt sophomore Ashten Smith-Gooden had a career-high 20 kills and hit for a .385 percentage, but the Cal volleyball team was edged 25-21, 21-25, 28-26, 25-22 by Arizona State on Friday at Haas Pavilion.

Junior Christine Alftin added 12 kills and freshman Bailee Huizenga had 10 kills and four blocks for the Bears (7-10, 1-6 Pac-12), who had a set point in the third set but couldn't close it out.

Junior Jessica Gaffney led Cal's defensive effort with 12 digs.

Each of the four sets were close. The first set was tied at 18-18 before the Sun Devils notched three points in a row to take control. In the second set, the Bears had a 16-12 lead only to watch Arizona State come back to take a 17-16 advantage. Cal went back in front 21-20 and then got back-to-back kills from Smith-Gooden to give itself some breathing room.

The Bears got off to a strong start in the third set, leading 10-5 and 15-11. But ASU scored five points in a row to take a 16-15 lead, and the teams went back and forth before the Sun Devils reached set point at 24-22. The Bears fought back, however, getting a kill from Smith-Gooden and a block by Huizenga and junior Caihla Petiprin to tie it at 25-24.

Cal staved off another set point and then took a 26-25 lead on a kill by Alftin, but Arizona State scored three points in a row to close out the set.

After the fourth set was tied 11-11, the Sun Devils opened up a 17-13 lead. They had a 23-18 advantage when the Bears scored four in a row to cut it to 23-22, getting kills from Alftin and senior Jenelle Jordan in the process. That was as close as Cal would get, however. ASU score the final two points of the match to finish things off.

The Bears are back in action Sunday at Noon against Arizona at Haas Pavilion. The match will be televised by Pac-12 Bay Area.