ROCKLIN, Calif. - The University of California, Merced women's volleyball team dropped a five-set match to Menlo College on day one of the William Jessup Invitational Thursday night, 3-2 (24-26, 25-21, 25-27, 25-13, 15-8).

After not having a five-set match the entire 2021 campaign, the Bobcats (1-2) have already gone the distance twice in the first three matches this year.

Freshman Ellie Gordon shared match-high with 18 assists, while Valentina Evans shared match-high with four blocks. Gordon also had six digs and three service aces while splitting time at the setter position with Bianca Malaluan. Evans had five kills to accompany her four blocks. Malaluan pitched in 14 assists and four digs.

Olanasaze Ojo and Alexa Ultreras highlighted the Bobcats offense with eight kills each. Ultreras' eight kills marked a career-high. 

Jalen Carey and Haley Branley both wore the libero jersey on Thursday night and shared team-high with 13 digs. Branley's 13 digs marked a career-high, while she also tied her career-high with two service aces. 

Tea Bishop set a career-high with three service aces to go along with nine digs. Destiny Lei Ramilo added three service aces of her own.

The Bobcats had 13 service aces as a team.

Serena Choi was good for six kills and three blocks.

Other individual notables include six kills from Teola Nowak, a solo block from Ojo and Nowak, and an ace from Malaluan.

The opening set was back and forth early on before the Bobcats found themselves trailing by three points at 10-7 and by four at 13-9. However, a 5-0 run with Bishop behind the service line allowed the Bobcats to regain an advantage. Then, there were eight ties the remainder of the frame including at every digit from 20-24. Tied at 24, Bishop delivered a service ace that was followed by a long rally ending with a block from Evans and Ojo to capture set point.

The Bobcats trailed 19-10 in the second set before coming all the way back to draw even with Menlo College at 20-20. The 10-1 UC Merced run started with back-to-back kills by Bishop and Ojo, while Gordon tallied back-to-back service aces soon after. An ace from Lei Ramilo is what deadlocked the set at 20. Though, the Bobcats momentum halted there as they fell 25-22 in the period.

While UC Merced couldn't complete the comeback in the second set, they were able to complete a comeback in the third set. This time, the Bobcats trailed 22-17 and won 27-25. A 7-0 run started the bounce back efforts and put the Bobcats ahead 24-22. Evans had two kills and a block during the run, while Malaluan had two assists and an ace. Tied 25-25 shortly after, an attack error gave the Bobcats another opportunity at set point and Branley answered with a service ace to give the Bobcats the set win and a 2-1 match lead.

The Bobcats scored the opening point in the fourth set but were unable to build on it and saw Menlo surge ahead the rest of the way. Menlo led by five at the 11-6 mark and then after the Bobcats closed the gap to two, Menlo followed with a set-ending 13-2 run to win the frame 25-13 and force a decisive fifth set.

Menlo carried the momentum into the fifth set and opened with a 6-0 run. A Choi kill followed by a Bishop ace kept the Bobcats in it, and a Gordon ace soon after brought the Bobcats within four points. However, that was as close as the Bobcats would come before falling 15-8.

The Bobcats are now 1-1 in five-set matches this season.

Looking ahead, UC Merced will play Southern Oregon University and Bushnell University on the final day of the William Jessup Invitational on Friday, August 26. The Bobcats will start the day with SOU at 1:00pm.