BERKELEY – Although California volleyball had already recorded its best start in recent memory, going undefeated in nonconference play, the team still had a figurative monkey clinging to its back – the Golden Bears had not won a Pac-12 match since the 2020-21 season. That changed on Friday night in front of an ecstatic home crowd, with Cal (12-2, 1-2 Pac-12) dismissing the visiting Arizona Wildcats in four sets, 3-1.
 
"We had a talk yesterday about mentality and the belief that we are good enough to win games this year," senior libero Tara DeSa said. "We came up with some tangible things that we could do to carry that over into our energy, both in pregame and during the match – we stayed committed to it the entire time and it was nice to see it manifest into a win."
 
Freshman Xuemeng (Maggie) Li, who recorded the winning kill, had a tremendous night once again as she collected 21 kills on .340 hitting and 13 digs (as well as two service aces) for her seventh double-double of the year. Junior Annalea Maeder posted an impressive stat line of her own, notching 41 assists, five digs, four blocks, four kills and an ace on the night. Sophomore Mikayla Hayden recorded six of Cal's 12 total blocks to lead the court, while DeSa once again paced both squads with 16 digs.
 
The first set was the Bears' best defensively, as they held Arizona (5-9, 0-3 Pac-12) to -.037 hitting; however, they initially found themselves on the wrong side of a stout defense. Although Li started off the match with a kill, Cal soon found itself down, 6-2, after four straight errors from the Bears. The home team tied things up at 8-8 following a 3-0 run capped off by a tip-over from Maeder, but the Wildcats maintained focus to stay just ahead of Cal. Two more of Li's eight first-set kills helped the Bears squeak ahead, 16-15, before a 6-0 Arizona run; it was a subsequent 7-0 response by Cal (paced by steady serving from DeSa) that allowed the Bears to retake the lead and maintain that momentum until Li's first service ace clinched the set, for the Blue & Gold, 26-24.
 
Cal hit .444 in the second set to help take a 2-0 lead over the Wildcats. Maeder kicked things off with an ace, but Arizona once more showed some grit to grind out to an early 4-2 lead. Li again sent the advantage back Cal's way, 10-7, with her 10th kill of the night; from there, the Bears never looked back on their way to a 25-20 set win. Junior Ellie Hamm posted three kills in a five-point series to improve the score to 15-10, Cal, after which senior Sam Taumoepeau led the team the rest of the way with four kills (including the set-winner) to send the match to the third.
 
The Bears stayed within three points of Arizona for the majority of Set Three; however, the Wildcats out-hit their hosts, .125 to .030, to claim their only set win of the night. The visitors scored first off of a Cal error and never relinquished the lead, overcoming a late scare as the Bears scored three straight to bring the score to 18-17, Arizona. From there, the Wildcats held off Cal to hand the Bears their only set loss of the night, 25-20.
 
Cal's response in the fourth – and final – set was immediate. The Bears scored first on an Arizona error, followed up by three straight kills from Hamm, the last of which was a stealthy tip-over off a pancake from Maeder. Soon afterwards, a 5-0 run led by freshman Sophia Johnson's serving increased Cal's lead to 13-3, the biggest point differential of the match. Arizona mustered up two more 3-0 runs but could only come within six points of the Bears at 24-18. The final point saw Cal continuously sending the ball Li's way, trusting her to get it done despite the Wildcats repeatedly returning her attacks; finally kill no. 21 found its mark for the 25-18 win, sending the emotional freshman to her knees as the rest of the Bears converged in a joyful mass of white jerseys.
 
"This was the manifestation of what we've been working toward," Taumoepeau said. "I'm so incredibly proud of this team."
 
UP NEXT
Cal will welcome No. 25 Arizona State (14-1, 2-1 Pac-12) to Haas Pavilion on Sunday at noon PT.
 
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