MERCED, Calif. - The University of California, Merced women's volleyball team earned their first win of the season in exclamation point fashion, sweeping Pacific Union College 3-0 (25-10, 25-11, 25-18) on Wednesday night inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.

The Bobcats (1-2, 1-2) win was the 101st in program history and the success came as a result of multiple career-high's and a stellar defensive effort, an effort that limited Pacific Union to a negative hitting percentage (-.084) 

Olivia Harden was one of those Bobcats with a career-high as she pounded out a three-set career-high 12 kills and three service aces in the victory. Harden also hit .367, her best mark when she records at least 20 swings.

Middle blockers Valentina Evans (8 kills) and Olanasaze Ojo (7 kills) each were good for a career-high in the kill category and hit .438 and .400, respectively. The duo also notched a block and combined for just four errors in 26 attempts.

Head coach Ai Prachumsri utilized three setters in the match and all three hovered around the double figure assists mark. Edwena Wong pitched in eleven assists, while Bianca Malaluan had a career-high ten and Serena Choi added nine assists of her own.

Choi was up first in the setter rotation and she got the Bobcats off to a hot start, finding Harden for three kills amidst a 7-1 run to start the match. The Bobcats led by at least seven points from 13-6 on and took their first double figure lead at 16-6 after a Harden overkill. Later on, a Madison Mayoralgo service ace got the Bobcats to 24 and an opponent attack error gave the Bobcats a 25-10 win in the opening set. 

UC Merced came out firing once again in the second set and took a 4-0 lead on the heels of a pair of Harden kills. The Bobcats never trailed in the frame and similar to the first set, led 7-1. This time, the seventh point came courtesy of one of Teola Nowak's two solo blocks. The lead grew midway through the set as the Bobcats put together another 4-0 run, this time highlighted by an Evans kill and a Jalen Carey service ace. Up 16-7 after the surge, the Bobcats won nine of the next 13 points to win the second set 25-11 and go up 2-0 in the match. Each of the Bobcats last three points came via the kill, one each from Nowak, Ojo and Lexus Lagumbay. Wong earned the assist on each kill.

The third set was tightly contested early on. There were 12 lead changes within the first 33 serves and neither team held a lead larger than two points in the time span. It wasn't until a 4-0 run late in the set until the Bobcats garnered some cushion, including a 20-17 advantage behind an Ojo kill. Evans was responsible for points 22 & 24 via the kill, while freshman Tea Bishop recorded the first match point of her career by hitting down the line on the outside.

Destiny Lei Ramilo earned the assist on match point.

Overall, the Bobcats hit a season-high .273 and got a kill from eight different players. 

Other notables include a season-high nine service aces. Aside from Harden's three, Lagumbay powered two aces across and four Bobcats had one ace. Malaluan and Hannah Dillingham each recorded their first career service ace.

Madison Mayoralgo led the Bobcats with eleven digs. Lagumbay pitched in nine.

Head coach Ai Prachumsri is now 9-0 all-time against Pacific Union and the Bobcats are 15-4 against the opponent in the last ten years.

Looking ahead, the Bobcats welcome Simpson University to Hostetler Court on Monday, March 1. First serve is scheduled for 5:30pm.