MERCED, Calif. - The University of California, Merced women's volleyball team fell 2-3 (18-25, 25-20, 27-25, 19-25, 11-15) to first-time opponent Park University - Gilbert on Saturday afternoon inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.

Saturday marked the Bobcats (3-3) longest match of the season and it was just the second five-set affair in conference play since the start of the 2019 campaign. 

Multiple Bobcats set career-high's in the setback, including freshmen Olanasaze Ojo and Serena Choi. The middle-blocker/setter duo had their way above the net and were good for a career-high eight and five blocks, respectively. Three of Ojo's blocks were solo.

Freshman Bianca Malaluan registered her first career double-double with 14 assists and ten digs. Malaluan becomes the first Bobcat with a double-double this year and just the third active Bobcat to accomplish that feat in their career. Malaluan joins Lexus Lagumbay and Edwena Wong. Both Malaluan's assists and digs total were career-high's.

Other career-high's include nine kills from Valentina Evans and three service aces from Serena Choi.

Hannah Dillingham held team-high with ten kills and has now tallied double figure kills in back-to-back matches for the first time in her career. Olivia Harden neared double figures with nine, while Ojo added seven and Teola Nowak smacked six.

Defensively, Malaluan was joined by three other Bobcats with double figure digs: Madison Mayoralgo (18), Edwena Wong (13) & Destiny Lei Ramilo (10). Lei Ramilo's ten digs marked a career-high.

Saturday marked the first time since November 3, 2018 where four Bobcats tallied double figure digs in the same match.

As for the rallies went, the Bobcats struggled to keep up with Park - Gilbert in the first set and trailed for all but just four serves. A 4-0 opponent run put the Bobcats in an early hole and head coach Ai Prachumsri's team trailed by six points at the 3-9 mark. The Bobcats biggest deficit in the set was nine points, coming first at 10-19 and as late as 14-23. Back-to-back-to-back UC Merced kills extended the set briefly before falling 18-25.

Despite falling, the flurry of Bobcat kills at the end of the set gave the home team some momentum and it showed in the second set. After a Park point on the opening serve, a 6-0 run with Wong behind the service line followed and put the Bobcats in front for good. Ojo highlighted that early run with a pair of blocks and a kill. The team traded points back and forth for a stretch before the Bobcats were able to build their margin to seven points, 14-7. Later in the set, back-to-back opponent attack errors put the Bobcats up 22-14. Dillingham would eventually secure the 25-20 set win with a kill to even the match score at one a piece. 

Serena Choi, who had 23 assists overall, got the Bobcats going early in the third set and found three different teammates for a kill to grab the lead. The Bobcats 5-2 lead would be the largest for a while, as five lead changes followed and it was tough for either team to string together consecutive points. The set remained tight, however the Bobcats were the first team to the 20-point plateau and had the first opportunity for set point up 25-24. Although Park - Gilbert staved off set point once, they couldn't do it again and it was Valentina Evans to deliver the game-ending kill to put the Bobcats up 2-1 in the match with a 27-25 win.

Set four was close until four straight Buccaneer points created separation and put the Bobcats down 6-11. The Bobcats were never able to recover from that deficit, going down by seven points (8-15) soon after and and by as many as eight (10-18). The Bobcats scored three straight down the stretch before falling 19-25.

Prior to today, the Bobcats had won six straight matches when leading 2-1 in the match.

In order to continue the streak, the Bobcats were going to have to play catchup as they fell behind by three early on. Prachumsri's team was on the right track as they tied the fifth set up at 6-6 and took a 7-6 lead after a Harden kill. However, Park - Gilbert scored seven of the next eight points to go up 14-8 and have a chance at match point. The match ended four serves later as the Buccaneers won the decisive set 15-11.

Saturday was just the second five-set affair among all teams in the California Pacific Conference this year. The first one came back on March 3 between Park - Gilbert and BenU Mesa.

UC Merced looks to bounce back and get over .500 again when they host Park - Gilbert twice Sunday afternoon beginning at 12:00pm. The second match will begin approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first one.