MORAGA – California volleyball posted a slew of career performances and three double-doubles against Saint Mary’s on Tuesday night, overcoming the Gaels (0-4), 3-2, in five sets (25-13, 23-25, 25-22, 26-28, 15-10) at University Credit Union Pavilion. The Golden Bears are now 5-2 on the year.
Sophomore Xuemeng (Maggie) Li, who hit .328 with 28 kills – including match point – for a new career best, also added 10 digs for her first double-double of the season. She was joined in that category by juniors Peyton DeJardin (16 kills, 14 digs) and Natalie Lau (64 assists, 18 digs), the latter of whom notched career highs in both categories.
In total, five Bears – Li, DeJardin, Lau, senior Gianna Bartalo (24) and sophomore Sophia Johnson (15) recorded double-digit digs on the night. Rookie Kate Mansfield was stellar on both offense and defense with 11 kills (.474) and five blocks, while sophomore Sawyer Thomsen led all Bears with six blocks.
Cal dominated the first set, out-hitting the Gaels (0-4) .286 to .030 that included a five-kill, .556 effort from Li and three blocks apiece from Thomsen and Mansfield. The Bears took control right off the bat with a 3-0 run and never trailed, eventually stretching their lead to 12 points (21-9) off a 7-0 run; those 12 points were the eventual margin of victory in Set 1, with a service ace from Johnson acting as the final point.
The next three sets were much closer. Set 2 went to Saint Mary’s as the Gaels pieced together a ferocious blocking front,…
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