BERKELEY – Jenelle Jordan was clearly ready for the season to start.

Cal's senior middle blocker matched her career-high with 11 kills and hit for a whopping .786 percentage as the Golden Bears opened the 2016 campaign with a 25-19, 25-9, 25-17 victory over Southern Utah on Friday on the first day of the Molten Classic at Haas Pavilion.

Jordan began the 2016 season with the best all-around performance of her career. She registered two aces, both coming during a stretch in which she served out the final seven points of the match. She ended the match with an ace. Jordan also had three blocks, three digs and was generally all over the floor for Cal.

"I thought Jenelle was really, really good," Cal coach Rich Feller said. "Her defense and serving were a bonus. Jenelle is an exciting person to have out there. I hope to see a lot more of that."

Jordan amassed her 11 kills in her first 12 attempts without an error, giving her a .917 hitting percentage in the third set. Had she finished with that clip, she would have tied the school record. She never ended up making an error and finished with 14 swings.

Jordan dropped back to serve with Cal leading 18-17 in the third set and dropped an ace on the Thunderbirds one point later. Another one of her aces led to a block by fellow middle blocker Belen Castillo and setter Alyssa Jensen.

"To be honest, I was very nervous serving," Jordan said. "I just took a deep breath before each one."

Jordan teamed with Castillo to produce a dominating night for Cal's middle blockers. Castillo led the Bears with 13 kills at a .667 percentage and added two blocks. Together, Jordan and Castillo combined for 24 kills at a .719 hitting percentage.

"I'd love to see us have the opportunity to score like that every night, because that would mean our passing and ball control was really good which it was tonight for the most part," Feller said.

Jensen dished out 45 assists as the Bears hit for a .369 percentage as a team. Senior libero Maddy Kerr had 15 digs and junior outside hitter Christine Alftin had seven kills and 14 digs.

Freshman Bailee Huizenga had seven kills and two blocks in her college debut.

"You can tell our team is meshing together," Jordan said. "We were playing for our teammates, not for ourselves out there. That's the biggest key. You get a kill and the bench is exploding and everyone is talking. It is a lot of fun."

The Bears will resume play in the Molten Classic on Saturday against UC Riverside at 7 p.m. UC Riverside also swept Southern Utah earlier Friday.