California Golden Bears Athletics
Cal Takes Down NC State As Hot Streak Continues
10/16/2026 10:51 PM | Volleyball
The Bears Put On An Offensive Clinic In The Win
BERKELEY — After a road trip that saw them make stops at both Louisville and Notre Dame, the California Golden Bears (13-4) returned home for a clash with the NC State Wolfpack (12-5) for a fun-filled Dig Pink Night.
The Bears and Wolfpack came into Friday's match with identical 3-3 records in conference play, with the battle serving as a great litmus test for both programs. In front of a rowdy Haas Pavilion crowd, the Bears blew open the doors in the first set. They led by as many as 13 points on three separate occasions, and before the Wolfpack knew it, the Bears clinched a 25-15 victory thanks to an emphatic .469 hitting percentage.
The second set was much of the same, as the Bears didn't relinquish the lead or allow NC State to tie the set a single time. Although the score was closer, all of the momentum resided with Cal in the 25-22 win.
With their backs against the wall, NC State didn't go down without a fight. They were able to contain Cal's offense, whose hitting percentage dropped to an abysmal .053. The Wolfpack took the third set 25-20 and had a glimpse of regaining some momentum.
However, the Bears used the third set as a wake-up call and battled in a fourth set that saw eight lead ties and two lead changes. Cal pulled off an impressive 26-24 victory, winning three sets to one and moving to 14-4 on the season.
KEY FIGURES
52 — The number of assists that freshman setter Anna Flores recorded, giving her a new career high.
18 — The number of kills that freshman Abby Zimmerman racked up to go with her 17 digs, en route to recording her team-high 13th double-double of the season.
.682 — The hitting percentage that senior Sawyer Thomsen recorded while also totaling 15 kills.
4 — The number of players who recorded 10+ digs, as Siena MacCudden (11), Sophia Johnson (12), Abby Zimmerman (17) and Anna Flores (19) all eclipsed that mark.
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