Ariel Nava
Mikayla Hayden hit .605 with 23 kills and no errors over Cal’s last two games.
Bears Have Just 3 Home Matches Remaining
California volleyball will close out its four-match homestand this week, hosting Virginia Tech on Thursday at 7 p.m. PT and Virginia on Friday at 7 p.m. This will be the Golden Bears’ (11-15, 3-11 ACC) first-ever meeting with the Hokies (7-17, 1-13) and just its second with the Cavaliers (19-6, 9-5). Both matches are set to broadcast on ACCNX.
Last weekend, Cal lost in three to No. 16 Georgia Tech on Friday night before sweeping Clemson on Saturday to snap a seven-game losing streak. A trio of Bears – Mikayla Hayden, Xuemeng (Maggie) Li and Peyton DeJardin – posted 11 kills against the Tigers; Hayden hit .605 on the weekend with 23 total kills and zero errors, while Li recorded her fourth double-double of the year (12 digs) and Sophia Johnson notched 14 digs for her career best in a three-set match.
Vs. Virginia Tech
Last Meeting: N/A
All-Time Record: 0-0
Current Streak: N/A
The Hokies have lost their last eight matches, dating back to their only ACC victory of the year – a 3-1 win over Clemson on Oct. 13 – and currently rank last in the ACC in hitting percentage (.173). Virginia Tech is not without weapons, however, as middle blocker Jordan Hallman averages 1.09 blocks per set and setter Viktoria Wahlgren recorded a triple-double (11 kills, 25 assists, 20 digs) last week against Virginia Tech. Leading the Hokies’ offense is opposite Hailey Pierce, who has totaled 251 kills (2.88 per set) on the year.
Vs. Virginia
Last Meeting: Sept. 2, 2011 (at Charlottesville, Virginia – Holiday Inn Jefferson Cup; Cal won 3-0)
All-Time Record: 1-0
Current Streak: Cal won last 1
The Cavaliers have won their past two games (both against Virginia Tech) and have proven a dangerous opponent throughout the season, with a marquee 3-0 win over No. 16 Florida State under their belts. Virginia’s experienced squad is led on offense by middle blocker Kate Dean, who ranks seventh in the ACC with a .365 hitting percentage (155 kills) and outside hitter Elayne Duprety, who averages 2.98 kills per set (253 kills); defensively, they are holding teams to an average hitting percentage of .182 on the year, aided by the…
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