BERKELEY – Sam Crosson has moved up to the first chair at Haas Pavilion.

After spending his first stint with the Cal volleyball team as an assistant in 2010-11 – helping the Bears reach their only NCAA title match in program history in the process – Crosson is back in Berkeley as Cal's new head coach. His first three weeks leading the program were breathtaking – eight straight wins, quality victories over major opponents like Colorado State and North Carolina, and a spot in the AVCA Top 25 for the first time since 2013.

But Thursday night was different. Thursday meant Crosson got to walk into Haas Pavilion for the first time as the head coach of the Golden Bears.

Indeed, Sam Crosson came home on Thursday night.

"I think he tried to downplay how important tonight was to him," said Cal middle blocker Preslie Anderson, whose 11 kills at a .611 hitting percentage helped the No. 24 Bears stay undefeated with a 25-21, 25-21, 25-14 victory over Saint Mary's. "I think it was such a big deal for him to come back here. When he talks about when he was here at Cal the first time, you can see his eyes light up. It almost feels like he's using that as an inspiration for his coaching style now. He knows he can bring that back to this program."

Crosson indeed deflected any thoughts of any added emotion Thursday, other than a quick realization of where he had come during the national anthem.  He said when the national anthem is played, any external storylines disappear.

"There was a realization that this is Haas Pavilion, and you're the head coach at Cal," Crosson said. "There is a euphoria and excitement about that. It's a little surreal. But after the national anthem, it's time to get locked in."

Crosson did acknowledge the surreal scene with Saint Mary's head coach Rob Browning sitting on the opposing bench. Crosson served as an assistant under Browning for five years in Moraga before coming to Cal as an assistant. Former Cal head coach Rich Feller, who hired Crosson in 2010, was in the stands Thursday night.

"Sam was in this gym for a couple of the best years this team has ever had," Feller said. "Coming back here for his first home match after eight straight matches on the road, there is a lot of hype. He always said Cal was one of the places he would come back to, wherever he was. It was a place he wanted to finish his career. It's a perfect match for him."

Crosson didn't just make his first home appearance Thursday. He did so authoring one of the top storylines of the collegiate volleyball season so far. Thursday's win pushed the Bears' record to 9-0 – they are one of only eight Division I teams remaining with a perfect record.

Cal won Thursday's match on the strength of one of Crosson's benchmarks – strong serving. The Bears reeled off seven aces, including three by senior Maddie Haynes. Cal's tough serving also helped hold the Gaels to a .074 hitting percentage.

Haynes also had 10 kills while junior Mima Mirkovic had 12 kills and 14 digs.

"Sam instills confidence in all of us," Anderson said. "He sees the game so well and wants us to see it just as well. If he gets frustrated on the sideline, it's only because he knows he's seen us do it correctly time and time again in practice. He keeps pushing us higher and higher."

The Bears will look to climb even higher when they visit the Gaels for a rematch Saturday in Moraga at 5 p.m.