"I want to exceed expectations and do something that Cal Beach Volleyball has never done before."
That's what team co-captain Kate Bierly stated as a goal for the upcoming 2022 season. And it seems even more obtainable now after it was announced that the NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship will be doubling in size from eight to 16 teams for this upcoming season.
Bears fight hard until elimination in Pac-12 Championships, conclude season
Karen Chow/File
The Bears concluded the most promising year of Cal beach volleyball in school history this past weekend at the Pac-12 Championships in Los Angeles. The Bears clawed their way through the competition, fighting for every point and leaving all of their effort on the sand. Ultimately, Cal ended the tournament as fifth in the Pac-12, marking a successful end to its strenuous, successful season.
The tournament started last Thursday afternoon with heated competition against No. 9 Stanford. As the Bears and the Cardinal had gone back and forth in earlier contests this season, the gravity of this match was clear to Cal.
Cal beach volleyball completes its regular season, moves on to Pac-12 Championships
Al Sermeno/KLC Fotos/Courtesy
In its last meet before the Pac-12 Championships, No. 10 Cal beach volleyball came out of an action-packed weekend with a 1-2 record. Though they put their best effort forward, the blue and gold fell to both No. 8 Grand Canyon and No. 5 Loyola Marymount but bounced back to defeat San Jose State in their last match of the tournament.
To begin the weekend, the Bears headed across the Bay to the Stanford courts to face off against Grand Canyon University for the first time this season.
Cal wins Pac-12/WCC Challenge in convincing fashion
Al Sermeno/KLC fotos/Courtesy
The Bears hopped on the Stanford sand courts this past weekend for the Pac-12/WCC Challenge and took first place in the tournament by a convincing margin, finishing the weekend with a 3-1 record.
No. 12 Cal began the weekend with a morning match against No. 11 Pepperdine. All of the Bears’ pairs came with their own energy, but sophomore Ainsley Radell and junior Jordan Polo’s win on court two drove the day’s success.
After Radell’s final point secured the first win of the day for the Bears, the rest of the duos followed in her footsteps and performed skillfully.
Apr 15, 2021
BERKELEY – No. 12 Cal Beach Volleyball returns to action as they travel to the South Bay for four matches this weekend at the Pac-12/WCC Challenge at the Stanford Beach Volleyball Courts.
The Bears open the weekend at 2 p.m. PT vs. No. 11 Pepperdine on Saturday afternoon. They will follow that with a matchup vs. Stanford at 4 p.m. PT, which will be available on Stanford s live stream. On Sunday, Cal takes on Saint Mary s (CA) at 10 a.m. PT. The Bears will play the following game of the tournament at either 2 p.m. or 4 p.m. PT. The teams that finish their first three matchups ranked first and second will face off at 4 p.m., while the teams that are third and fourth will play at 2 p.m., unless Pepperdine is in the championship match, then it will be played at 2 p.m. and the third and fourth place teams will play at 4 p.m.