IRVINE, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's volleyball team recorded a season-high ten blocks and led 2-1 in the match, but it wasn't enough as the Bobcats fell 3-2 (20-25, 25-18, 20-25, 25-20, 15-10) to Westcliff University on Thursday night.
The Bobcats (8-16, 7-6) also recorded top three marks of the year with 97 digs and 61 assists in the loss.
Sera Riley led the Bobcats with 18 kills, seven digs, a career-high two solo blocks, and a service ace. Offensively, Riley has gone for at least 18 kills in three different matches this year and she becomes the second Bobcat in 2023 to reach 200 total kills. Riley recorded a .293 hitting percentage.
Bianca Malaluan finished with 28 assists, her second highest total in her career. She also had eight digs and a service ace for the second straight match.
Ellie Gordon notched her first double-double in Cal Pac play with 18 assists and 12 digs. It was her third double-double of the season overall.
Destiny Lei Ramilo tallied 20+ digs for the seventh time this year and for the first time in league action, totaling 23 on the night to go along with six assists. With her efforts, she became just the third player in program history with 400+ digs in a single season.
Serena Choi pitched in ten kills and three blocks. Alexa Ultreras and Kennedi Baker had eight kills each.
Ultreras also had 17 digs.
Semiramis Tanasescu and Morgan Wilson recorded four blocks each and had seven and six kills, respectively. Tanasescu extended her streak to four straight matches with at least four blocks. Wilson had one solo block.
Other notables include nine digs from Jazmine Banks, three blocks from Ultreras, and two service aces from Haley Branley.
In the first set, UC Merced broke a 4-4 tie and led the rest of the way. Back-to-back kills from Choi and Riley had the Bobcats up 10-5 and the lead grew to six points shortly after at 12-6. The margin closed to two points a couple times, but the Bobcats always had an answer, including to win the set. Leading 21-19, Tanasescu killed a ball and it started a 4-1 set-ending run to put the Bobcats ahead 1-0 in the match.
The Bobcats overcame a 4-0 hole to start the second set to jump in front 8-7, but the Bobcats failed to lead by more than a point the rest of the set. UC Merced's last lead was 11-10 before they saw Westcliff surge ahead with a 6-1 run. The Bobcats trailed by five at 21-16 before ultimately falling 25-18, splitting the first two frames.
Head coach Ai Prachumsri's team bounced back in the third set and Ultreras got it started with a kill. Trailing 11-9, a Baker kill was the first of four straight points for the Bobcats and they were able to build a lead that they never surrendered. The Bobcats lead was between one and three until back-to-back Riley kills put UC Merced up 22-18. Then leading 23-20, Wilson got the Bobcats to 24 points with a kill and Kylah Guzman delivered set point with a kill of her own.
The fourth set saw multiple lead changes early on and it was the Bobcats to create the first separation, going up by four at 12-8 after a Branley service ace. However, the Bobcats lost their lead following an 8-2 Westcliff run and failed to regain the advantage the rest of the way. After the Bobcats pulled even 16-16, Westcliff responded with a 7-0 run to pull away for good.
UC Merced won four of the first six rallies in the fifth set highlighted by a Riley kill. After that, Westcliff took over and UC Merced was unable to score consecutive points until it was time to stave off match point. Trailing 14-8, a Warrior service error extended the night, as did a Riley kill, but Westcliff put an end to the match with a kill from Ella Beck to win the set 15-10.
UC Merced and Westcliff split the season series with Thursday's result. Thursday also marked the Bobcats second straight five-set loss on the road.
Up next, the Bobcats will play at the University of Antelope Valley on Friday, October 20. First serve from the Pioneer Event Center in Lancaster, Calif., is scheduled for 6:00pm.
