PASADENA, Calif. — The Caltech volleyball team battled with Pomona-Pitzer in Braun Gymnasium on Friday night in a competitive match which saw every set come down to the wire.

Each set was a nail-biter and full of runs from both squads. The Beavers went down 5-2 in the first set, but sophomore outside hitter Alize Bakker (Portland, Ore. / Westview) came through with a crucial kill to end the Sagehens' run. Both squads went back and forth for a few points until first-year Andrea Li (Calgary, Alb. / Sir Winston Churchill) delivered a huge kill to bring the Beavers within four.

The squad's biggest first-set moment came after the Sagehens' lead extended to 17-12, as the Beavers responded with four straight points on a run fueled by a kill from first-year Noelle Wilkinson (Bentonville, Ark. / Thaden School) and another kill from Bakker.

The Beavers continued building runs throughout the entire match after conceding the first set 25-19. Another four-point run with kills from Wilkinson and first-year setter and opposite Stephanie Wallen (Miami, Fla. / Ransom Everglades) gave Caltech an 8-6 lead in the second set before first-year setter Lana Saopraseuth (Vancouver, Wash. / Union) capped off the run with a service ace. The group dropped the second set by a small margin of four points despite their excellent play.

In the third set, the Sagehens led 23-19, and once again Bakker came up with a clutch kill after an attack error to slim the lead down to three. Pomona-Pitzer, however, dug deep to avoid the Caltech third-set comeback as they pulled away with the 25-21 set victory. Despite the result, Caltech fought valiantly in all three sets.

Wilkinson and Bakker led Caltech in kills in the match with eight and seven, respectively. Li led all players from both teams in aces, with two; she led the Beavers in blocks with two. Bakker and sophomore libero Celine Wu (Potomoc, Md. / Montgomery Blair) recorded 17 digs apiece to lead all players.

Head coach Tom Gardner and the team will take a quick trip over to Eagle Rock this Saturday, Oct. 5 as they take on the Tigers of Occidental College at 4:00 p.m. Catch all the live action at GoCaltech.com/coverage.