Despite a strong defensive showing at the net, the Pitt-Johnstown women's volleyball team couldn't overcome California (Pa.), falling in straight sets, 25-20, 25-22, 27-25, in a PSAC West matchup on Friday night at the Convocation Center.

The Mountain Cats dropped to 11-5 (2-2 PSAC). Caroline Knight accounted for a match-high 15 kills and added four blocks. Ellie Zuro Cirino had 11 kills and eight digs, while Journey Welling chipped in a match-high seven solo blocks and provided a season-high seven kills.

Jessica Krug notched a match-high 21 digs. Abby Berry compiled a match-high 36 assists.

Pitt-Johnstown was down by as many as seven, 14-7, before scoring six of the next seven points to cut the deficit to two. Facing a 20-16 hole, a kill from Welling was sandwiched around two from Zuro as part of a 3-0 run that made it 20-19. But a kill from Welling was the only point the Mountain Cats scored the rest of the way.

The tables turned in the second set when the Mountain Cats took early leads of 5-2 and 8-4. A kill and service ace from Lippincott pushed that advantage to 13-7, their largest of the set to that point.

It was 19-13 before the momentum flipped and put Pitt-Johnstown in a 22-19 deficit. Lippincott, Dannika Susko and Knight each had a kill to keep the Mountain Cats within striking distance late before the Vulcans finished off the set.

Neither team led by more than three in an ultra-competitive final set. Tied at 14-all, both teams traded the next nine points, with Knight accounting for four kills during a stretch that gave Pitt-Johnstown a 19-18 edge.

Later, down 24-22, Knight posted back-to-back kills to tie it before Cal created another match point. An attack error made it 25-all, but it was the last point of the evening for the Mountain Cats. 

The Vulcans improved to 14-3 (2-1 PSAC) behind a team-high 13 kills from Olivia Weiseman.

Pitt-Johnstown will host Seton Hill on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Sports Center.