ANGWIN, Calif. - The University of California, Merced women's volleyball team earned a sweep in their first road match of the season, winning 3-0 (25-15, 25-17, 25-14) at Pacific Union College under The Covered Wagon.
With two games remaining, the Bobcats (4-5) now have the opportunity to finish over .500 in California Pacific Conference play for the sixth consecutive season.
Olanasaze Ojo highlighted the Bobcats efforts with eleven kills on a .600 hitting percentage and a career-high six solo blocks. Ojo is just the second player in program history with at least six solo blocks in a match, joining 2019 All-American Jaysonna Johnson.
Lacey Gallagher neared Ojo's match-high eleven kills with ten kills of her own. Gallagher got into double figures for the first time this season while hitting .600, her best ever hitting percentage with a minimum ten attempts
Teola Nowak was good for seven kills on ten swings. The freshman didn't commit an error and becomes the seventh player in program history and just the second in the last five years to not commit an error with a minimum ten attempts.
Bianca Malaluan and Serena Choi took turns quarterbacking the offense and combined to run the Bobcats to a .325 success rate. Malaluan recorded a career-high 23 assists, while Choi pitched in eleven.
Choi was one of six Bobcats with a service ace. Madison Mayoralgo and Annamarie Caldero tied their career-high with two service aces. Mayoralgo also held match-high with eight digs.
The Bobcats sweep was their fourth of the season and head coach Ai Prachumsri's team started off hot, scoring seven of the first ten points and 12 of the first 18. The Bobcats garnered their first double figure lead at 18-8 after back-to-back-to-back Nowak points. Two of Nowak's points came via the kill with the other one coming via a solo block on the Pioneers' Emma Campbell. Later up 24-15, Ojo recorded her first of six solo blocks to capture set point and put the Bobcats up 1-0 in the match.
Set two was close early and there were four lead changes within the first 15 serves. The Bobcats took the lead for good at 8-7 when Malaluan fed Ojo for a kill. Ojo followed her kill with a solo block and it allowed the Bobcats to lead by at least two points the remainder of the set. Edwena Wong increased the lead to five points soon after with a service ace, 17-12. Olivia Harden, who had five kills overall, got the Bobcats to 20. Up 22-17, Ojo scored the Bobcats final three points to give her team the opportunity to earn a sweep on the road.
The Bobcats wasted no time going for the sweep as they started the third frame with a 7-3 run. After a PUC kill, the Bobcats scored five consecutive points with Jalen Carey behind the service line and led 12-4. The eight-point lead was the biggest until a PUC attack error late in the set made it 22-13. Looking to close out the match strong, Caldero powered across back-to-back aces to set up match point. Although the Bobcats didn't get match point on the first try, they secured it on the second attempt and it was Destiny Lei Ramilo to tally the point with a kill.
The kill was the third career kill for the freshman defensive specialist.
The Bobcats have swept Pacific Union in six straight matches dating back to November 2, 2018. All-time, the Bobcats improved to 17-4 against the Bay Area opponent.
Looking ahead, the Bobcats welcome Simpson University to Hostetler Court on Saturday, March 27 for the 2021 regular season home finale. First serve is scheduled for 5:00pm.
