LANCASTER, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's volleyball team earned their first road sweep of the season on Friday night, sweeping University of Antelope Valley 3-0 (25-13, 27-25, 25-16) inside the Pioneer Event Center.
Serena Choi and Sera Riley led the Bobcats (10-16, 9-6) with 12 and eleven kills, respectively.
Choi, who has recorded double figure kills in five straight matches, recorded a season-best .588 hitting percentage.
Riley added eight digs to her eleven kill performance.
Ellie Gordon had 20 assists and six digs, while Bianca Malaluan was good for 17 assists and nine digs. Each setter also had a service ace. Gordon moved ahead of Edwena Wong for eighth in program history with 250 career assists.
Jaide Davis and Morgan Wilson added five kills each.
Destiny Lei Ramilo had 11 digs, hitting double figure digs for the fifth straight Cal Pac outing.
Kyra Miller delivered a career-high four service aces.
Other notables include four kills on five swings and two blocks for Semiramis Tanasescu, and two service aces for Alexa Ultreras. Friday night marked Tanasescu's fifth straight match with multiple blocks.
The Bobcats most dominant frame was the opening frame, hitting .241 while limiting the opponent to a -.043 hitting percentage. Davis started the match with a kill and then shortly after the Bobcats used a 5-0 run highlighted by back-to-back Miller service aces to create the initial separation. The Bobcats led by six points at 13-7. Leading 14-10 shortly after, a Tanasescu kill started a 7-0 run to put the Bobcats up 22-10. Davis had three kills and a block in the stretch, while Ultreras had two service aces. Wilson would go on to score set point with a kill shortly after.
UC Merced had to play catchup for most of the second set after an early 7-0 run from UAV. The Bobcats worked back to within two points at the 12-10 mark, but were back behind by four points immediately after. Trailing 20-17, Choi smacked a kill for the first of four straight Bobcat points to grab a 21-20 advantage. However, the Bobcats found themselves having to stave off set point down 25-24. Riley tied it with a kill and then after a UAV attack error, Riley scored set point with another kill to put the Bobcats up 2-0 in the match.
Head coach Ai Prachumsri's team never trailed in the third set on their way to the sweep. The Bobcats used an early 8-0 run to go 14-3, highlighted by three consecutive Choi kills. She had another kill towards the end of the surge. The Bobcats also led by double figures at 17-7 before UAV closed the gap briefly. UC Merced's lead got cut down to five at 21-16, but the Bobcats responded with four straight points to finish off the sweep. It was a Choi kill for match point.
While it was the Bobcats first road sweep of the year, it marked the fourth sweep overall.
UC Merced finishes off the road trip at La Sierra.
