BERKELEY – One five-match losing streak was going to fall at Haas Pavilion on Wednesday afternoon, as California volleyball hosted Boston College for the year's second matchup between the two teams with hopes of taking revenge after a four-set defeat in October. To the delight of the home crowd, the contest swung decisively in favor of the Golden Bears (8-21, 5-14), who rolled over the Eagles (16-15, 5-14) 25-16, 25-21, 25-15.
 
Cal trailed just twice during the entire match and never by more than three points, out-hitting Boston College .282 to .107 and holding the Eagles' powerful serve game in check. Middle blocker Sophie Scott was the star of the show in her last home match for the Bears, posting a career- (and match-) high 10 kills and no errors at a .714 clip, as well as a share of the team lead with three blocks. Dominique Phills and Arissa Carbonara contributed another nine kills apiece (with Phills also putting up three blocks) and Elise Lau matched her career high of 10 digs. Libero Sophia Johnson led the Bears with 12 digs and four aces, the latter of which likewise matched a career best.
 
The Eagles' Brooklyn Yelland led the court with 19 digs, while Anna Herrington and Cornelia Roach each posted four blocks. Top Boston College attacker Audrey Ross, who recorded 19 kills on .316 hitting in her last match against the Bears, was held to just six kills (.031).
 
Cal's offense was at its sharpest in the first set as the Bears hit .514 as a team with standout performances from Carbonara (six kills, .545), Scott (four kills, .667) and Mikayla Hayden (four kills, 1.000). The Bears went on an early 6-0 run with three players scoring consecutive points (Ashley Li with two kills, Hayden with two kills and Johnson with two aces) to take the lead for good at 9-4. Cal put up an even bigger run of seven straight points with three Carbonara kills to bring the game to set point before a Boston College service error gave the Bears the win.
 
Although Cal led from the get-go in the second set, it was by far the most competitive of the three. Phills posted three of her five Set Two kills in the first four points to start things off and the Bears took advantage of multiple service errors from the Eagles to build a three-point lead, later recording a five-point run with two kills from Li (out of four in the second set) and Johnson's third ace to go up 19-12. Boston College responded two points later with a 4-0 run, forcing Cal to take its only timeout of the afternoon, but the efforts of Hayden (two kills) and Scott (a kill and a solo block) brought the Bears to match point before Li sealed it with a kill.
 
Both offenses struggled in the third set, apart from a sensational outing from Scott (four kills, .800). Boston College scored the first two points and later increased their lead to three at 8-5 thanks to the first of their two three-point runs, but Scott's ninth kill of the day kicked off a five-point run for the Bears (including a solo block from Hayden and Johnson's fourth ace) and triggered an Eagles timeout. Cal soon posted a 9-1 run, followed by a 6-0 run shortly afterwards to go up by eight (21-13). Boston College could only score twice more, while Cal utilized a solo block from Phills and forced three Eagles errors to end its 2025 home slate with a victory.
 
 
UP NEXT
The Bears will head east for their season finale, taking on Duke (5-25, 2-17) in Durham, North Carolina, on Friday at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET.
 
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