noah sano

Although Cal didn’t qualify as a team for the final round, it still finished with a solid overall score of 395.055, simultaneously setting multiple personal records and qualifying seven Bears to the final for the second straight year.

Cal will need to post its best performances if it wants to squeeze past its higher ranked opponents and make it to the final day as a team.

Spirits were high and the Bears were able to practice in the competition venue prior to the actual meet. But still, they fell short of their goals and ended in fourth place with a final team score of 388.600.

The blue and gold pulled away from their opponents Army and William and Mary, combining for a total of 399.350, their highest overall score so far this season.

Despite their final team rankings falling short of No. 2 Stanford and No. 6 Illinois, the Bears each reached far, breaking records and hitting sets as a result.

The Bears are hoping that their dedication in practice shines through during the meet, where they’ll face intimidating opponents in Stanford and Illinois, both of whom are ranked in the nation’s top six.

Despite losing to Stanford’s 410.5, Cal posted its second-highest season-opening result in the modern scoring era — a 394.95 — and rose to No. 6 in the nation.

Cal head coach J.T. Okada sees his team's process as normal and necessary for finding the right track to survive the long season.

Cal will take on Air Force and look to prove that its performance last week was only a bump in the road rather than the team’s status quo.

Cal's season debut was a lopsided loss to their rivals No. 2 ranked (and defending national champion) Stanford — 382.850 to 407.300.