PORTLAND – After opening the match with a two-set deficit, California battled back to force its first five-set contest of the season, but could not come up with the late win and dropped 3-2 (24-26, 21-25, 25-20, 25-23, 11-15) to Gonzaga at the West Coast Challenge in Portland.
 
The Bears (5-2, 0-0 Pac-12) were short on momentum early on, but climbed their way out of a significant hole behind the offensive efforts of Bailee Huizenga who led the Bears with 18 kills, one shy of her career best. Mima Mirkovic (15) and Carmen Annevelink (12) combined for another 27 kills at instrumental moments to help bring the Bears back into the conversation and eventually force the fifth set.
 
Cal (.268) outhit Gonzaga (.234) 66-63 but committed 14 service errors in a matchup that included 30 tie scores and 11 lead changes allowing a narrow margin for errant play.

"We made some huge strides against adversity today," said head coach Jennifer Dorr. "Being down 0-2 and fighting our way back to a close fifth set was a big step for our team. The final result wasn't what we wanted, but we can see the positive change in our returners and the potential in Cal's volleyball future as there were four freshmen on the court today."

"Looking at the stat sheet we won in all the major categories and still lost the match," Dorr continued. "Unforced errors at critical times cost us and we will learn and get prepared to play more efficiently this evening."

Cal clipped the Zags (1-5, 0-0 WCC)  offensive edge after the second set loss and came up with two consecutive wins of its own. Huizenga added six kills in the Bears third set, while Mirkovic recorded four. A collective defensive effort kept the Bears in play in set three as well and was orchestrated by freshman Gabby Bellizzi on her first road trip with Cal. Bellizzi led with four digs in the third game on her way to eight for the entire match.
 
Mirkovic was crucial on the defensive side throughout the match with a team-high 14 digs while the Bears won at the net recording nine blocks, just ahead of the Zags' seven total. Freshman Bella Bergmark assisted on six blocks, a game-high.
 
In the fourth set, Cal noticeably outplayed the Zags outhitting them 19-10 and recording their best attack percentage of the game with a .385 clip.
 
Early on, Cal traded points with the Zags knotting the score on seven occasions in the opening set. However, after a 6-0 run by the Zags, things eventually tilted in their favor as they leaped ahead 11-6. Cal chipped at the deficit and went on a late run and tied things 24-24 on critical block by Huizenga and Preslie Anderson, who also registered the last two kills of the set for Cal, respectively.
 
Unfortunately, the Zags got the best of an impressive rally to force Cal's first set one loss of the season. The second set had similar results and that became the impetus for the Bears.
 
Cal continues tournament play tonight at 7:30 p.m. (PT) against host-team Portland State.