PASADENA, Calif. — Caltech Women's Volleyball kicked off its season at home Friday night in a high-level clash versus the Providence Christian College Sea Beggars.

Despite coming into the match down several key players, the Beavers won a massive second set and came within just a few points of pushing the match to a deciding fifth set. Ultimately, the visitors topped the home squad 25-23, 17-25, 25-19, 25-23.

The first set proved a closely contested battle with no team jumping out to more than a four-point lead. The back-and-forth contest landed the two teams at 23-23 before the guests scored two critical points to go up 1-0 in the match.

The second set began as another close skirmish before the Beavers found a dominant stride. With Caltech on top 17-16, the team scored an incredible eight straight points to take the second set 25-17, tying the match at 1-1 and electrifying the crowd at Braun Gymnasium in the process. Sophomore Sophia Parker helped lead the squad on the run with three kills while first-year Celine Wu landed back-to-back aces to give the team its 22nd and 23rd points.

The Beavers quickly found themselves in a 3-12 hole in the third set, but they caught momentum as the set carried on. After winning a number of important points and long rallies, the squad clawed all the way back to within four points at 23-18 before the visitors earned a pair of kills to close Set 3.

Caltech came within just a few points of pushing the match to a deciding winner-take-all-set as the two teams battled into the fourth set. With Providence Christian in front 24-21, the Beavers earned a must-win point after senior Halle Blend connected on a massive kill to put the Beavers within two. An attack error from Providence Christian made the score 24-23 before the Sea Beggars earned a final kill to take the match.

Despite the result, Caltech scored 90 total points to Providence Christian's 92; they beat the visitors on total attacks with 139. The group recorded 32 assists and nine service aces.

Parker led all Beavers in kills (ten) as well as points (11). Blend assisted on 17 points while sophomore Giulia Murgia led the team with a career-high 16 digs.

In just her first collegiate volleyball match, first-year Alize Bakker tied all players for the most service aces, with four.

Next up for head coach Tom Gardner and the Beavers is a tri-match this Saturday at home versus the University of Antelope Valley and Life Pacific University. The team takes on the Pioneers at 11 a.m. before competing against the Warriors at 3 pm. Cheer on the squad at Braun Gymnasium or watch the matches live at gocaltech.com/live.

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