Eagles End Six-Game Losing Streak with Comeback Win Against Berkeley
Down two sets to none against Cal Berkeley, Boston College volleyball had no other option but to win the next three sets to avoid losing its seventh straight game.
And the Eagles did just that, winning the next three sets 25–17, 25–19, and 19–17.
The Eagles (8–9, 1–4 Atlantic Coast) rallied and completed their comeback from down two sets to none against Cal (9–8, 1–4) in a grueling five-set match up on Friday and ended its six-game losing streak.
The first set started off shaky for the Eagles, with Cal immediately going up 9–3. A couple of missed dives and miscommunications plagued the Eagles in the opening minutes of the game.
The Eagles made a slow climb to tie the game at 13–13, and an ace by Aubrey Moore, gave BC its first lead of the set at 16–15.
The squads went point-for-point in the final stretch, but the Golden Bears pulled ahead to win the set 25–21 and take a 1–0 lead.
BC lost the first point of the second set, which set the tone for the rest of the set. Cal went up early, 5–2. The back line and middle was a weak spot for the Eagles. Cal was able to hit areas where the Eagles either hit the ball out or were unable to defend.
The second set had a very similar pattern to the first. BC was able to make a five point run to tie up the set 14–14. The Eagles continued that momentum and held tight with Cal for three more points. Until Cal went on a run, as they continued to exploit the middle and went up 20–17.
BC logged an attack error and gave Cal the final point to lose the second set 25–21. Cal went up 2–0 and celebrated as though the game was already won.
The first point of the third set was a long rally that ended in a BC point. The first points went back and forth until BC took a 10–6 lead over Cal. The blocks were starting to work for BC and the outside hitters were dominating Cal.
Cal had a much smaller bench than Boston College, and the fatigue started to show in the third set. The Golden Bears’ defense started to make more mistakes and their hits were not as strong.
BC won the third set 25–17, looking dominant over Cal throughout the set and maintaining a multipoint lead. The squad seemed to have more composure and they were able to stay organized during the longer rallies.
In the fourth set, the Eagles won the first point again. They had two strong blocks from Cornelia Roach and Halle Schroder that put them up 2–0. The momentum had shifted to the Eagles side, and they went up 12–2, causing Berkely to take a timeout to regroup.
The Eagles were completing more plays than earlier in the game. They also had locked down the net, the front line was hitting and blocking well. The backline still seemed to be struggling, but Cal was not hitting those areas as often. BC kept a comfortable lead throughout the fourth set and won 25–19.
In a back-and-forth fifth set, Boston College edged out Berkeley 19–17 to seal a dramatic win. Cal rode some early momentum and took a 6–3 lead, capitalizing on BC’s small mistakes. Cal relied too much on this momentum and again celebrated as if the game was over.
BC took a timeout when Cal was up 13–9. After the timeout, BC went on a three-point run. BC’s outside hitters kept the Eagles in the game with crucial points, forcing a late tie at 14–14.
Cal momentarily regained control, but BC responded with solid blocking and took the lead after a double contact from Cal. The Eagles sealed the victory with a decisive kill to make it 19–17, capping off an intense comeback to secure the match.
