BERKELEY – The Cal volleyball team played No. 18 UCLA extremely tough in two of three sets Sunday afternoon but ultimately fell 25-23, 25-23, 25-15 in front of 1,252 at Haas Pavilion.

After dropping the first three points of the match, the Bears (13-16, 4-14 Pac-12) went on a 10-0 run to take early command. Cal still led 20-15 before UCLA began to chip into the deficit. The Bruins scored three in a row to cut it to 20-18, but the Bears responded with back-to-back kills by seniors Antzela Dempi and Ashten Smith-Gooden to push their lead back to four points.

UCLA then answered with five in a row of its own to go in front 23-22, but a kill by junior Carmen Annevelink tied it at 23-23. The Bruins were then able to get back-to-back kills to close it out.

The second set was close throughout, with the Bears holding the lead until UCLA went in front 15-14. Neither team led by more than two points and it was still tied at 21-21 before the Bruins scored two in a row to go back in front. The teams then exchanged points until UCLA finished it off.

Dempi and Smith-Gooden led the Bears with nine kills apiece while Dempi added two blocks and her 49^th ace of the season. Dempi ranks eighth on Cal's all-time single-season ace list.

Redshirt freshman Kat Knop made her first career start at libero and finished with a career-high 12 digs.

The Bears continue their season-ending homestand Wednesday against Colorado at 3 p.m. The match will be televised by the Pac-12 Networks.