WEST POINT, N.Y. – California volleyball (1-0, 0-0 Pac-12) made a big statement to jump-start the 2023 season, toppling a strong Army squad (0-2, 0-0 Patriot League) by a decisive 3-0 margin on Friday night. The Golden Bears overcame both a sweltering gym and a raucous home crowd for the victory, which came via scores of 25-14, 25-13 and 25-22.
 
"I am proud of the way that we were resilient through adversity," said interim head coach Crissy Jones Schoonderwoerd. "It was a good first match for us to build on."
 
Senior Sam Taumoepeau and freshman Xuemeng (Maggie) Li totaled 11 kills apiece to lead both teams, while both Li (10 digs) and junior Annalea Maeder (29 assists, 11 digs) recorded their first double-doubles of the season. Sophomore Mikayla Hayden picked up where she left off last year, adding five blocks to a strong Cal defensive effort that held Army to just a .020 hitting percentage.
 
A kill from Maggie Li triggered a quick 4-0 run to start the first set, followed shortly by another 4-0 run as the Bears leapt out to an 8-1 lead. From there, it was all Cal as the visitors repeatedly outpaced the Black Knights with two points to their every score; Li finally ended it with a service ace to send the match to the second set. She then set the tone for the next round with another kill, followed by an ace from Maeder to spark a ferocious Cal offense that was powered along by five of Taumoepeau's kills to make quick work of the home team.
 
A desperate Army squad finally found its fight in the third set, jumping out to their first lead of the night off an error from Cal and a kill from Black Knights star Paige Fixemer. The two teams each gave as good as they got, tying the score no fewer than 10 times on their way up to 20 apiece; the Bears' overall momentum, however, won out as Li recorded her final kill of the night to kick off the clinching 5-2 run.
 
UP NEXT
The Bears return to Gillis Field House on Saturday at 9 a.m. PT to face Fairfield (2-0, 0-0 MAAC), followed by a 7 p.m. matchup with Central Connecticut State (0-1, 0-0 NEC) to close out the Army Invitational.
 
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