PRESCOTT, Ariz. - The University of California, Merced women's volleyball team recorded four-set season high's of 73 digs and 13 blocks to put up a good fight, but ultimately fell to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in four sets, 3-1 (25-20, 25-19, 23-25, 25-22) Saturday afternoon in the Arizona road trip finale.

The Bobcats (10-15, 7-11) 13 blocks also tied their overall season-high. Head coach Ai Prachumsri's team's defensive efforts limited Embry-Riddle to a .159 hitting percentage.

Semiramis Tanasecu highlighted the Bobcats defense and tied her career-high with seven blocks. Three of her seven blocks were solo. The freshman middle blocker also smacked nine kills on a .375 hitting percentage.

Hannah Dillingham finished with a career-high six blocks, two solo. She was also one of two Bobcats with double figure kills as she finished with ten on the day. Olanasaze Ojo was good for eleven kills and three blocks, while Valentina Evans pitched in eight kills and four blocks. Ojo's eleven kills marked her tenth double figure kill outing of the season. 

A day after reaching 1,000 career assists, Serena Choi stuffed the stat sheet with 27 assists, 14 digs and seven kills. Her double-double was her eighth of the season. Choi also passed Caroline Mack for fourth in program history with 1,031 career assists.

Destiny Lei Ramilo and Jalen Carey contributed 15 digs and eleven digs, respectively. Lei Ramilo's numbers as of late now place her ahead of both Hannah Castillo and Salamasina Satale for ninth on the program's all-time digs list with 472 career digs. Carey, who also had a service ace, is now on UC Merced's top ten list for most appearances having now played in 304 career sets.

Bianca Malaluan finished with 21 assists and eight digs in Saturday's loss.

Other individual notables include six kills from Alexa Ultreras, four kills from Tea Bishop, and five digs and two service aces from Annamarie Caldero.

The Bobcats scored the first two points of the opening set and went punch for punch with the Eagles for the first 20 rallies. However, the Eagles took over from there and a 9-1 run proved to be too much for the Bobcats to overcome.

Looking to bounce back, the Bobcats led for a portion of the second set and by as many as five points at the 10-5 mark after a kill from Choi. UC Merced also led by five at 11-6 before starting to see their lead vanish. The Bobcats last lead of the second set was 14-13, and the Bobcats then trailed 18-14 at the next sideout. UC Merced trailed by at least three points the rest of the frame.

UC Merced got off to a quick start in the third set and an early 6-0 run had the Bobcats in front for all but just three rallies the rest of the way. Dillingham highlighted the Bobcats third set with three kills and two blocks. Ojo, Evans, and Ultreras scored four points. The Bobcats lost the lead late at 23-22 but recovered nicely scoring three straight to win the set and extend the match. Evans captured set point with a kill.

A back and forth fourth set saw the Bobcats lead 9-8 and then cut multiple four-point deficits in half as the set went on. The Bobcats trailed by as many as six points at 24-18, but worked their way back to pull within two points at 24-22 before ultimately falling. Tanasecu was the Bobcat behind UC Merced's final push.

Embry-Riddle was led by Katie Rolle, who finished with 33 assists and eleven digs on the day.

Despite the loss, the Bobcats managed to take a set off Embry-Riddle on the road for the second year in a row. Before last year, the Bobcats had not won a set against the Eagles in Prescott in the last six tries.

Up next, the Bobcats will look to keep their postseason hopes alive and will celebrate their seniors on Senior Night on Thursday, November 3 at 5:00pm inside the Joseph Edward Gallo Gymnasium.