California’s women’s volleyball team ended its 2025 season with a five-set comeback win against Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina. The Golden Bears lost the first two sets but rallied to take the final three, winning by scores of 14-25, 20-25, 25-19, 26-24, and 15-12. This marks California’s third reverse sweep of the year and their first on the road.
The victory was notable for being the team’s first five-set road win since September 10, 2024, when they defeated Saint Mary’s in Moraga. The Bears finished their season with a record of 9-21 overall and 6-14 in conference play.
Several seniors played key roles in their final match for California. Peyton DeJardin led offensively with 16 kills and tied her season high with 12 digs for her fourth double-double of the year. Mikayla Hayden added 11 kills and led all players with seven blocks. Sophie Scott contributed seven kills and a season-high six blocks after a strong performance earlier in the week against Boston College. Junior Ashley Li had nine kills and four blocks, while libero Sophia Johnson posted her fifth match this year with at least 20 digs, finishing with 24.
Younger members also made significant contributions. Freshman setter Maria Știrbu recorded 43 assists along with nine digs, two aces, five blocks (matching her career best), and two kills (also matching her career best). Fellow freshman Elise Lau matched her career high with two aces and added nine digs. Sophomore Dominique Phills chipped in seven kills and a crucial block during the deciding set.
Duke saw three players reach double-digit kills: Ashby Zubchevich (18), Taylor Williams (17), and Ngozi Iloh (16). Zubchevich also led all players with three service aces; Iloh had six blocks; Williams posted a double-double by adding sixteen digs. Duke’s libero Mailinh Godschall equaled Johnson’s defensive output with twenty-four digs.
California struggled early on offense as only Li and DeJardin recorded more than one kill in the opening set. Duke used several scoring runs to build an insurmountable lead before closing out each of the first two sets.
In later sets, Cal improved both offensively—hitting .310 in both sets three and four—and defensively by holding Duke to lower percentages. Key blocking efforts from Știrbu alongside Scott and Hayden helped spark extended scoring runs that shifted momentum toward California.
After falling behind early again in set four, California put together an eight-point run highlighted by Știrbu’s serving and blocking efforts to move ahead late in the set before ultimately forcing a fifth frame following decisive plays from Li and DeJardin.
The final set saw Cal secure three team blocks compared to none for Duke while building leads that proved enough despite late pushes from Williams on Duke’s side. A timeout at match point halted Duke’s momentum; Zubchevich’s last attack went out of bounds to seal California’s win.
“I’m so proud of the team today,” Scott said. “We didn’t play our best volleyball in the first two sets, but the resilience this team has is so incredible. We all looked at each other after the first two sets and said that we were going to pour our hearts on the court, that it was the last time that this group was going to all be together and we were going to get that win for each other by any means necessary. I couldn’t be more grateful to end my career here on this note, and I’ll forever be a Golden Bear.”
For further updates on California volleyball activities or results throughout future seasons fans can follow them on social media platforms including X (@CalVolleyball), Instagram (@calvolleyball), Facebook (Cal Volleyball), or TikTok (@calbearsvb).
