California volleyball will finish its nonconference schedule this week, first hosting UC Davis at Haas Pavilion on Wednesday night before heading to Los Angeles to face LSU on Saturday afternoon and No. 19 USC on Sunday.
 
Wednesday's match against the Aggies (3-4) will be broadcast on ACCNX, while Sunday's match against the Trojans (6-1) will be aired on the Big Ten Network. Saturday's contest against the Tigers (6-2) will not be streamed.
 
Last week, Cal posted a mid-week reverse sweep over Vanderbilt to clinch the ACC/SEC Challenge in favor of the ACC, with sophomore Dominique Phills and senior Peyton DeJardin each recording double-doubles. The Bears then traveled to San Luis Obispo, where they fell in straight sets to Cal Poly and San Jose State despite two 11-kill performances from senior Mikayla Hayden.
 
Vs. UC Davis (3-4): Wednesday, Sept. 17 – 7 p.m. PT (Berkeley)
Live Stream: ACCNX
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Last Meeting: Sept. 17, 2022 (at Cal – Cal won 3-2)
Bears vs. Aggies All-Time Record: 7-4
Current Streak: Cal won last one
 
The Aggies have never won a match against Cal at Haas Pavilion. They have posted wins over Sacramento State, Green Bay and Utah State this year and have been well-tested with two road matches against national top-10 teams (at No. 8 Wisconsin, at No. 5 Stanford). Setter Haden Bones is one of the nation's top threats at the service line, averaging 0.67 service aces per set for the seventh-most efficient clip in the country, while fellow setter Mia Starr ranks 40th in Division I with 9.96 assists per set and the squad's top attacker, outside hitter Jade Light, has 106 kills on the year at a 4.42-per-set average. As a team, UC Davis ranks second in the Big West, averaging 2.54 blocks per set.
 
Vs. LSU (6-2): Saturday, Sept. 20 – 3 p.m. PT (Los Angeles)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Last Meeting: Dec. 1, 2006 (at NCAA Second Round, San Luis Obispo – Cal won 3-1)
Current Streak: Cal won last two
 
The Tigers received two votes in the most recent American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 Poll and have held opponents under .200 hitting in four straight matches. Their offense averages 13.00 assists per set (26th-best in the nation) and 13.83 kills per set (38th). LSU's main offensive threat is outside hitter Jurnee Robinson, who is lethal on the attack with 5.10 kills per set for the fourth-highest average in the country. She has three outings of over 21 kills this season and has hit .333 or better in each of her past three matches; she has also collected four double-doubles through LSU's eight total contests this year.
 
At No. 19 USC (6-1): Sunday, Sept. 21 – 2 p.m. PT (Los Angeles)
Live TV: Big Ten Network
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Last Meeting: Nov. 17, 2023 (at USC – USC won 3-1)
Streak: USC won last one
 
Cal will look to beat USC on the road for the first time since 2014 but will find this year's Trojans squad to be a serious challenge, as the home team ranks among the nation's top 50 in blocks per set (3.00 – 8th), hitting percentage (.268 – 41st) and opponent hitting percentage (.164 – 46th). USC fields national top-50 players on both sides of the ball in setter Reese Messer, who is averaging 10.12 assists per set for the 28th-best pace in Division I, and middle blocker Leah Ford, who is ranked 20th overall at 1.48 blocks per set. Breakout freshman Abigail Mullen, an opposite hitter, is the Trojan's leading scorer with 4.26 points per set.
 
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