Bears Come Up Short At Pauley

LOS ANGELES – California fought against conference-leading No. 13 UCLA before falling in straight sets, 17-25, 21-25, 20-25 Wednesday afternoon at the Pauley Pavilion.

The Bears were led by eight kills on .300 hitting from Lydia Grote and a career-best five kills from setter Annalea Maeder. Tara DeSa added a team-high eight digs for Cal (7-23, 0-19 Pac-12).

Mac May tallied a match-high 17 kills for the Bruins (23-4, 16-3 Pac-12). 

How It Happened:
The Bruins got out to a fast start and a 6-2 lead until Maeder's first kill and a UCLA error made it a two-point deficit. Cal scored three straight points behind a combo block from Sam Taumoepeau and Ellie Hamm along with another Maeder kill, making the score 16-15, UCLA, but the Bruins took nine of the last 11 points to earn the first set victory.

UCLA started quickly again in the second frame, building two different six-point advantages, but the Bears fought back for a second time. Scoring four straight points thanks to a Grote kill and two Sarah Schrag service aces, Cal made it 12-9, UCLA. Another block from Hamm and Maeder followed by two Bruin attack errors made it 14-12 until the home team when on a 6-0 run to take control and go up 2-0 in the match.

Cal got into another early deficit, however showed more fight to battle back and tie the score at 10-all on another Grote kill. The Bruins recorded four straight kills from there and the Bears couldn't get within four the rest of the way as UCLA closed out the match, 25-20.

Up Next: The Bears wrap up the season with an 8 p.m. first serve on senior night in the Big Spike vs. No. 18 Stanford on Saturday, Nov. 27 at Haas Pavilion.

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