The score was 8-5 in Collins Court, and the Bruins were up two sets.
Aside from one earlier this week, the Cal Golden Bears (9-17, 1-15 Pac-12) hadn’t seen a win in nearly two months, and were fighting hard to make it happen. For the No.18 Bruins (18-9, 9-7) it had only been two weeks, but it was long enough.
“We’ve seen ourselves go out in that third game and let off the pedal before, so we know we really need to be pushing,” said senior middle blocker Zoë Nightingale.
A serve from Cal landed deep into Bruin territory, where Nightingale was set up for a kill by senior setter Megan Moenoa. A block from the Golden Bear’s front row launched the ball back into Bruin territory, where it bounced off Nightingale’s head and went soaring toward the audience.
After a recovery by sophomore defensive specialist Taylor Formico, the ball was tipped over the net onto UCLA’s side once again, and a dive by Moenoa kept it in play long enough to send it back to Cal, where the Golden Bears’ attempt at a kill was blocked by UCLA, awarding the Bruins the point.
But this game wasn’t just necessary for the Bruins’ victory over Cal.
It marked the end of an era.
At the end of that rally, after UCLA went on to win the set 25-15, seniors Moenoa, Nightingale and outside hitter Karsta Lowe would never again play a game together in the John Wooden Center after their four years as teammates.
“For me, it’s about realizing that we only have two more weeks and really trying to enjoy it with everyone,” Moenoa said.
The Bruins still have one more home game on Nov. 28 where they will host USC in Pauley Pavilion. But the Collins Court in the John Wooden Center, which has hosted the Bruins many times over the past four years, is retired for the rest of the year and for the seniors’ careers.
But, as it has been all year, the Bruin way is to focus on the present, not dwell on the past. The seniors have just three more away games together before coming home to play in Pauley Pavilion for the first time this year.
“It doesn’t feel real,” Moenoa said. “I’m probably going to cry. It just doesn’t feel real for me.”