Surina Khurana

Mirkovic is lying on her back on the side of the court. She makes a move to get up, but she can’t. She sits there holding her ankle, visibly in pain. Teammates Lauren Forte and Savannah Rennie carry Mirkovic off the court and just like that, she’s done for the match.

The year may be winding down, but Cal volleyball’s season is only getting more exciting. This weekend, No. 20 Cal will host USC and UCLA.

After dropping three consecutive matches, No. 20 Cal volleyball responded with three straight wins, including victories over Arizona and Arizona State.

There’s a mother in Mobile, Alabama who was once firmly against tattoos. But now she looks at her wrist, decorated with blue ink, with utmost pride.

“We need more communication and more energy because skill, tactically wise, we are at the top of everyone,” Bellizzi, who recorded a season-high 11 digs in her first career libero appearance, said. “In NCAA Division I, we are there with the gifted talent.”

The Bears aren’t prancing about in their success and achievements, but instead working to be one day better with their new goals — a conference title and a trip to the final four.

Although very little about their week went according to schedule, the No. 16 Bears took another two sweeps over Arizona State and Arizona.

Led by new head coach Sam Crosson and associate head coach Jennifer Dorr, the No. 16 Bears sit atop the Pac-12 after finishing the 2018 season in 10th.

Cal volleyball’s Bears claimed the Oregon territory as their own with a pair of consecutive sweeps over the Ducks and Beavers.

This weekend will bring its challenges, but If No. 19 Cal could always play like they were fighting for that one point in the third set against Stanford, the Bears could beat any team in the conference.