The Crimson closed out its California tour last night with a tough, 30-24, 30-24, 30-21 loss to Cal Poly (8-4).

The story of that game was co-captain middle hitter Mariah Pospisil. She had a .438 hitting percentage and also provided a dominant defensive presence at the net, helping to hold the Mustangs to a .081 hitting percentage in the first game and .295 for the match.

“Mariah had a number of really great blocks,” said assistant coach and former Harvard setter Mindy Jellin ’03. “She was really dominating at the net.”

The Crimson traded points with Cal Poly through most of the match, but was never able to break away.

“When we did get runs, it was a little difficult for us to maintain a lead,” Ogbechie said. “We definitely didn’t give up. We knew we could beat the team.”

Despite the losses, the trip was a worthwhile one for Harvard.

“There’s a lot more that goes in, when you take a trip like this, in regards to how the team can bond on the road,” Weiss said. “That’s really going to help them in Ivy competition. That goes a long way.”