LOS ANGELES – California was unable to sustain its pace in a tightly-contested matchup with the 15th-ranked Trojans of USC to fall 3-1 (33-35, 20-25, 25-18, 14-25) and give up the series sweep in Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon.
 
The Golden Bears (12-11, 4-8 Pac-12) battled back from a 2-0 deficit to snatch set 3 from the Trojans (16-7, 8-4 Pac-12), but could not keep their momentum in a decisive fourth set.
 
In its seventh consecutive loss to the Trojans, Cal forced a tightly-contested match, recording its longest set of the season that included 24 tie scores and six lead changes in a 35-33 set loss to open the match. Cal's last 30-plus point set came against Washington State on Oct. 14 in Berkeley, when the Bears won a 32-30 opening set that eventually led to a 3-1 win over a then 21st-ranked Cougars team.
 
The Bears were just edged in kills by the Trojans 24-23 in set 1, while both squads erred seven times. Middle blocker duo Preslie Anderson and Lauren Forte highlighted the opening battle combining for 14 kills, with Anderson pacing the Bears with eight kills on a .615 attacking percentage.
 
Cal kept in-step with USC with a strong offensive effort with four different Bears recording double-digit kills. Anderson led for the Bears with a 13-kill performance on a .480 hitting percentage.
 
Following Anderson was junior Bailee Huizenga who recorded her seventh game of the season with at least 12 kills (.458) and fifth with at least a .400 hitting percentage, while Forte added 11 kills and Maddie Haynes contributed 10.
 
Sophomore outside hitter Mima Mirkovic was just shy of her 11th double-double of the season with a 9-kill, 13-dig effort.
  
The Bears suffered from five service errors and could not recover from a 5-1 run posted by the Trojans in set 2, to fall behind 2-0 headed into the break.
 
However, Cal returned to the court fired up in the third set opening the game on a 7-0 run to have a comfortable cushion the entire set. The Bears outhit the Trojans 18-13 in its most efficient round of the day with a .375 attacking percentage.
 
"I felt we were prepared for the match, but our execution wasn't consistent," said head coach Jennifer Dorr. "To compete against top-ranked teams, all positions have to be executing at a high level and we did so sporadically in every position.
 
"We are improving and have to continue to be comfortable competing every day," Dorr added. "We know we can battle with any team when we are dialed in."
 
Cal returns to Haas Pavilion for a pair of matches this week. On Wednesday at 7 p.m. (PT), the Bears host the Buffaloes of Colorado, who they lost to earlier in the season in five-set thriller in Boulder. The game will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Network.
 
Friday, Cal welcomes the Utah Utes at 7 p.m. for match two of the series. In the last meeting, Cal pulled off a 3-2 upset over a then 24th-ranked Utah team, picking up its first Pac-12 win of the season and the Bears first win over the Utes since Oct. 18, 2015.
 
For more information on Cal volleyball, follow the team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @CalVolleyball.