MORAGA, Calif. – California beach volleyball opened the 2020 season by splitting their opening two matches on Saturday. The 11^th-ranked Bears fell to no. 14 Grand Canyon in the morning, but they followed that up by beating the host Saint Mary's by a convincing 5-0 margin.

#14 Grand Canyon (4) def. #11 California vs. (1)

The Bears opened the season facing one of the 18 ranked teams on their schedule, but the year didn't get off on the strongest foot.

"There were some first-game jitters," acting head coach Derek Olson said. "Grand Canyon is a very scrappy team and we didn't play up to our capability in the first match. I think the biggest thing for this team is the mindset. We are now the hunted instead of the hunter. It is harder to have a target on our back and we have to adjust to that."

Madison Dueck and Alexia Inman claimed the first pair victory of the year on the fourth court. The duo moved to 19-4 as a pair with the win. The Bears came out firing in the first set building a substantial lead they would not let go. The second set was a more tightly contested affair, but a couple of big swings from Inman changed the momentum and allowed Cal to pull away for the victory, 21-15, 21-18.

On the fifth court, Jacqueline Ribeiro and Chloe Luyties battled, but a loss in the first set proved too costly to overcome the duo battled with Madi Relaz and Taylor Jarzombe, but ultimately fell 24-22. They responded in the second set with an emphatic 21-13 victory. However, the momentum shifted in the third set as Grand Canyon won, 15-4.

Grand Canyon took the lead in the match at the second pair as Hannah Towne and Jessica Stanfield defeated Caroline Schafer and Jordan Polo, 21-17, 21-18. The Lopes clinched the match on the third court as Anaya Evans and Katie Sarber took down Ainsley Radell and Maddie Micheletti. The Bears battled into the overtime of the first set, but fell 23-21. The Lopes pressed their advantage in the second set as they won, 21-15, and clinched the match.

Iya Lindahl and Mima Mirkovic pushed their GCU counterparts into the third set after both of the first two sets were sent to tiebreakers. However, thanks to some timely blocking, GCU's combo of Bella Baumann and Teagan Defalco came out on top.

#1 - Bella Baumann/Teagan Defalco (GCU) def. Mima Mirkovic/Iya Lindahl (Cal) – 22-20, 22-24, 15-11
#2 - Hannah Towne/Jessica Stanfield (GCU) def. Caroline Schafer/Jordan Polo (Cal) - 21-17, 21-18
#3 - Anaya Evans/Katie Sarber (GCU) def. Ainsley Radell/Maddie Micheletti (Cal) – 23-21, 21-15
#4 - Madison Dueck/Alexia Inman (Cal) def. Natalie Honzovicova/Katie Hess (GCU) – 21-15, 21-18
#5 - Madi Relaz/Taylor Jarzombe (GCU) def. Jacqueline Ribeiro/Chloe Luyties (Cal) – 24-22, 13-21, 15-4

 #11 California (5) def. Saint Mary's (CA) (0)

After a tough start to the season, Cal got rebounded nicely in the second game of the doubleheader, sweeping the host Gaels.

"I thought the team responded really well to our talk in-between matches. We regrouped and refocused and came out strong vs. St. Mary's. We've played them more often, so we are used to their style of play a little bit more, but it was a good response from the team."

For the second straight match, Dueck and Inman got the Bears started on the right foot. The duo swept away the partnership of Sienna Young and Jasmin Suarez, dominating the second set, 21-11. Playing simultaneously, the fifth pair of Ribeiro and Luyties was able to extend the Bears' lead. After a first set that went back and forth, the Cal duo seized control in the second set and pulled away for the win, 26-24, 21-16.  

Schafer and Polo rolled to a victory with matching 21-14 scores to clinch the match. It was fitting that they were the pair to clinch the match as Schafer was celebrating her birthday on Saturday. Radell and Micheletti made the score 4-0 as they won on the fourth court. It was the first collegiate victory for Radell, as the freshman was playing in her first collegiate weekend. Mirkovic and Lindahl completed the sweep with a dominant, 21-15, 21-13, win at the top spot in the lineup.

#1 - Mima Mirkovic/Iya Lindahl (Cal) def. Alexsa Parker/Selbie Christensen (STM) – 21-15, 21-13
#2 - Caroline Schafer/Jordan Polo (Cal) def. Morgan Kendrick/Karmin Brown (STM) – 21-14, 21-14
#3 - Ainsley Radell/Maddie Micheletti (Cal) def. Chandler Cowell/Elena Baka (STM) –21-18, 21-17
#4 - Madison Dueck/Alexia Inman (Cal) def. Sienna Young/Jasmin Suarez (STM)  - 21-15, 21-11
#5 - Jacqueline Ribeiro/Chloe Luyties (Cal) def. Kelsey Knudsen/Jennifer Laird (STM)– 26-24, 21-16