MORAGA, Calif. – Strong play from the middle of lineup kept things interesting until the end but the No. 18-ranked Cal beach volleyball team couldn't get the three wins it needed to prevail over its East Bay neighbor as No. 15 Saint Mary's claimed a 3-2 victory at Moraga Commons.
 
A back-and-forth, three-set affair at No. 5 got the juices flowing early on Wednesday as the team of Bridget Gustafson and Teya Neff battled back from a set down to take the second 21-11 and force a third. Saint Mary's pair of Sienna Young and Madi Wilkerson pulled away late in the third though to give the Gaels the advantage, pulling ahead at 10-9 and eventually winning the decisive set 15-11.
 
Saint Mary's went up 2-0 with a 21-16, 22-20 win by Sarah Chase and Emily Bible at No. 2 but Cal wasn't ready to pack up and leave quite yet as the team of Nicole Anderson and Iya Lindahl kept the Bears alive. Tied with Alexsa Parker and Lindsey Calvin at 13-all in the first set, Anderson and Lindahl scored seven of the next 10 points to take control, eventually winning 21-19 to take a 1-0 lead.
 
The second set was just as close midway through, with the teams tied at 14-all. A big ace by Anderson eventually pushed the lead to 18-16 and when a Saint Mary's shot landed in the net, the Cal duo finished off a 21-19, 21-19 win.
 
Saint Mary's clinched the match win with a victory at No. 1 as Lindsey Knudsen and Payton Rund took command early and the Cal team of Jessica Gaffney and Mia Merino couldn't come back in a 21-11, 21-9 decision. Cal's final win of the afternoon came courtesy of Grace Campbell and Olivia Rodberg at No. 2 as the duo earned a 21-12, 21-8 victory over Alexis Salmons and Mary Hernandez to provide the final score.
 
Next up for the Bears is a home dual against San Jose State as the Spartans will visit the Clark Kerr Sand Courts on Saturday at 1 p.m. Cal heads to Stanford on April 11 for a 4 p.m. match and hosts Washington on April 14 at 2 p.m.
 
No. 15 Saint Mary's 3, No. 18 Cal 2
No. 1: Lindsey Knudsen-Payton Rund (SMC) def. Mia Merino-Jessica Gaffney 21-11, 21-9
No. 2: Sarah Chase-Emily Bible (SMC) def. Bryce Bark-Camille Stepanof 21-16, 22-20
No. 3: Grace Campbell-Olivia Rodberg (Cal) def. Alexis Salmons-Mary Hernandez 21-12, 21-8
No. 4: Iya Lindahl-Nicole Anderson (Cal) def. Alexsa Parker-Lindsey Calvin 21-19, 21-19
No. 5: Sienna Young-Madi Wilkerson (SMC) def. Bridget Gustafson/Teya Neff 21-15, 11-21, 15-11