California volleyball returns home for one mid-week match before hitting the road again this weekend, welcoming Vanderbilt to Haas Pavilion on Wednesday night and traveling to San Luis Obispo to face Cal Poly (Friday) and San Jose State (Saturday) in the Mustang Invitational at the Mott Athletics Center.
 
Wednesday's match against the Commodores (2-3), which is part of ESPN Events' two-day Showdown at the Net program featuring 16 matchups between ACC and SEC teams, will be broadcast on ACCNX at 7 p.m. PT. The Friday night contest against the Mustangs (3-3) at 6 p.m. will air on ESPN+, while Saturday's 1 p.m. match against the Spartans (2-3) will not be streamed.
 
Last weekend at the Ameritas Players Challenge in Lincoln, Nebraska, the Golden Bears (2-2) experienced their first two losses of the season, first in a reverse sweep to Wright State on Saturday and then a straight sweep at No. 1 Nebraska on Sunday.
 
 
Vs. Vanderbilt (2-3): Wednesday, Sept. 10 – 7 p.m. PT (Berkeley)
Live Stream: ACCNX
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Last Meeting: None
Bears vs. Commodores All-Time Record: 0-0
Current Streak: None
 
The Commodores are fielding a varsity team for the first time in 45 years. They are led by Anders Nelson, who helped lead Kentucky to the 2020-21 NCAA title as associate head coach of the Wildcats. Vanderbilt has posted four-set wins over Belmont and Lipscomb this season but are winless against Power 4 opponents; nevertheless, the team has displayed major fight straight out of the gate, taking then-No. 14 Kansas to five sets in its season opener.
 
As a squad, Vanderbilt is hitting .190 on the season, while its opponents are averaging a .221 hitting percentage. Setter Isabella Bareford ranks sixth in the SEC with 9.15 assists per set, while libero Hailee Mack likewise ranks sixth in the conference with 4.20 digs per set. Leading outside hitter Kamryn Chaney, who leads the team with 77 kills, holds a top-nine SEC ranking with 4.55 points per set.
 
At Cal Poly (3-3): Friday, Sept. 12 – 6 p.m. PT (San Luis Obispo)
Live Stream: ESPN+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Last Meeting: Sept. 12, 2013 (at Berkeley - Cal won 3-0)
Last Road Meeting: Dec. 2, 2006 (NCAA Second Round – Cal won 3-1)
Current Streak: Cal won last two
 
Led by sixth-year head coach Caroline Walters, the Mustangs were picked to finish second in the Big West this year and have been well-tested right off the bat, starting off their season by taking a set at then-No. 11 Minnesota and claiming a sweep at Arkansas the next weekend. They enter this week fresh off a tough four-set battle with Oklahoma, who received votes in last week's American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll.
 
Cal Poly is hitting a Big West-leading .264 on the year but is ranked last in the conference in opponent hitting percentage (.261). The Mustangs' biggest offensive threat comes in the form of outside hitter Kendall Beshear, who has 69 kills on the year with an average of 3.14 kills per set. Middle blocker Chloe Leluge, a Preseason Big West Coaches' Team selection, has posted an efficient .354 hitting percentage with 45 kills and averages 1.18 blocks per set on the season.
 
Vs. San Jose State (2-3): Saturday, Sept. 13 – 1 p.m. PT (San Luis Obispo)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Last Meeting: Sept. 12, 2009 (at Berkeley – Cal won 3-1)
Last Neutral Meeting: Sept. 5, 1986 (at Western Invitational, Davis – San Jose State won 2-0)
All-Time: 14-29
Streak: Cal won last five
 
The Spartans, led by third-year head coach Todd Kress, are coming off a pair of five-set wins over Hawai'i and St. John's, just avoiding a reverse sweep in the first and pulling off the reverse sweep themselves in the second. As a team, they are hitting .172 through five matches while allowing a .251 hitting percentage from their opponents.
 
Opposite Lolo Fonua has been San Jose State's top attacker this season, averaging 2.35 kills per set, while leading blocker Learden Lee is fresh off an eight-block performance against Saint John's. Setter Fatimah Hall is ranked seventh in the Mountain West with an average of 6.75 assists per set.
 
 
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