LOS ANGELES – The No. 8 California beach volleyball team concluded the Battle For L.A. on Saturday with wins of 5-0 over Concordia University Irvine and 4-1 against No. 5 Loyola Marymount.

The Golden Bears (6-2) have now started 6-2 or better six times in the last eight years.

No. 8 Cal 5, Concordia 0
Cal began the day by earning its fifth 5-0 win of the early season over the Golden Eagles (3-4). Sophomore Portia Sherman and junior Ella Dreibholz began the day with a quick 21-11, 21-16 sweep on court four. 

After dropping their opening set 21-17, sophomores Marilu Pally and Gia Fisher bounced back with back-to-back four-point wins to get Cal out to a 2-0 start. The Bears wouldn't lose another set the rest of the way.

Graduate student Lara Boos and senior Brooke Buchner took court two 21-16, 21-14. On court five, sophomores Jenna Colligan and Amelia Vugrincic won 21-12, 22-20. Freshman Emma Donley and junior Alexandria Young-Gomez needed 26 points to win their opening set on court one before closing out the match with a 21-15 set-two victory.

1 – Emma Donley/Alexandria Young-Gomez (CAL) def. Kali Uhl/Kelissa Lemoine (CUI) 26-24, 21-15
2 – Marilu Pally/Gia Fisher (CAL) def. Sara Ostojic/Tatum Smith (CUI) 17-21, 21-17, 15-11
3 – Lara Boos/Brooke Buchner (CAL) def. Kirah Nordin/True McCollough (CUI) 21-16, 21-14
4 – Portia Sherman/Ella Dreibholz (CAL) def. Eva Prewitt/Ashley Souza (CUI) 21-11, 21-16
5 – Jenna Colligan/Amelia Vugrincic (CAL) def. Lexi Godbey/Jordyn Nichols (CUI) 21-12, 22-20

Order of Finish: 4, 2, 3, 5, 1

No. 8 Cal 4, No. 5 Loyola Marymount 1
In their final match of the weekend against tournament co-host LMU (5-4), the Bears jumped out to a 2-0 advantage with close wins by Donley and Young-Gomez on court two and Boos and Buchner on court four.

On court three, Fisher and Pally conceded the fewest points against the Lions of any Bear pair in a 21-13, 21-19 victory. Finishing things up on court five, Dreibholz and Sherman went the distance for Cal's second comeback win of the day, 15-21, 21-13, 20-18.

The win was Cal's first over a ranked opponent this season.

1 – Vilhelmiina Prihti/Michelle Shaffer (LMU) def. Sierra Caffo/Kendall Peters 21-19, 21-19
2 – Emma Donley/Alexandria Young-Gomez (CAL) def. Isabelle Reffel/Abbey Thorup (LMU) 21-17, 21-19
3 – Gia Fisher/Marilu Pally (CAL) def. Anna Pelloia/Jacinda Ramirez (LMU) 21-13, 21-19
4 – Lara Boos/Brooke Buchner (CAL) def. Chloe Hooker/Alisha Stevens (LMU) 29-27, 21-18
5 – Ella Dreibholz/Portia Sherman (CAL) def. Cassie Chinn/Madi Firnett (LMU) 15-21, 21-13, 20-18

Order of Finish: 2, 4, 1, 3, 5

Up Next
The Bears will head out of state for the first time next weekend to compete in the Pac-12 South Tournament, opening on Saturday, March 9 against Utah and No. 2 Stanford. On Sunday, Cal will take on Oregon and No. 11 Arizona State.

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