LOS ANGELES – California volleyball held No. 24 USC to its lowest hitting percentage in over a month on Friday night thanks to impressive defensive performances from senior Tara DeSa and sophomore Sophie Scott, but the Women of Troy (18-9, 12-5 Pac-12) were able to grind out a win over the Golden Bears (15-13, 4-13), 3-1, at Galen Center to remain perfect at home on the year.
 
DeSa posted her second straight match with over 30 digs, recording 31 in four sets of play to tie for the 25th best performance by any Division I player this season, while sophomore Scott similarly held stout on defense with a season-high seven blocks. Freshman Xuemeng (Maggie) Li paced Cal with 15 kills and added 10 digs for her 11th double-double of the year; senior Sam Taumoepeau recorded a double-double of her own with 14 kills and 15 digs, her sixth such performance of the season. First-year middle blocker Sawyer Thomsen posted a career-high seven kills for third most on the team, as well as two blocks and two assists.
 
USC posted five of its 12 blocks and five scoring runs of three-or-more points in the first set to win 25-15, despite Cal showing life with a 5-0 run of its own and four kills from Taumoepeau. The second set told a similar story, with the Trojans putting together four scoring runs (including a five-point run to end the set) to stay ahead of the Bears from the get-go, overcoming Taumoepeau's five kills to clinch it at 25-17.
 
Set three was Cal's best of the night as the Bears out-hit USC, .225 to .195, led by five kills from Li (including the 25-23 set finisher). The Trojans scored first but kills from sophomore Mikayla Hayden tied up the score at four, then five apiece. USC went on a four-point run shortly thereafter before the Bears responded with three consecutive points of their own to retake the 14-13 lead. Another three-point run for Cal – a Thomsen kill, a block from Thomsen and Scott, and an error – finally allowed the Blue & Gold to seize control of the advantage for good and force the first of USC's timeouts at 21-19. The Trojans tried to take a pause again after Taumoepeau brought the score to set point at 24-22 but had no answer for Li two points later.
 
Once again, the Bears out-hit USC in the fourth set, keeping the Trojans to under .200 thanks to four blocks from Scott, but this time fortune favored the home team after a close-fought battle. Cal posted an early four-point run (with two kills from Thomsen) to take a 5-2 lead and were the first team to 10 points, but a pair of 4-0 runs from USC permanently wrested control of the set away from the Bears. Cal clawed its way back to within three, then two points, bringing the score to 21-23 thanks in part to two late blocks from Scott and Maeder; however, USC eventually claimed the set, 25-22, and the match.
 
UP NEXT
The Bears head across town to Pauley Pavilion to take on UCLA (16-11, 8-9) at noon on Sunday.
 
STAY POSTED
For complete coverage of Cal volleyball, please follow the Bears on Twitter (@CalVolleyball), Instagram (@calvolleyball), Facebook (C al Volleyball), and TikTok (@calbearsvb).